Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-06
BAR POISON GAS,
AMERICA URGES
Powers Brand Submarine Com
manders Disobeying lnterna-
tionaI Law as Pirates
ROOT PLAN IS AMENDED
BY the Associated Press

Washington. Jan. 6.-Consideratlon
Of submarine questions was concludco
today by the five Powers Naval Com
mittee with adoption Of the hnai hoo'
resolution declaring submarine com
manders who. with or without orderS
from their government, violate the ex-
listing International law on submarine
warfare, to be guilty Of piracy.
The American delegation, through
Elihu Root, thercupon brought torth y :
new proposal to prohibit the use .,
poison gas in future wars. IL was saio
to have been received favorably, put u
decision went over until tomorro"
meeting.
The piracy resolution as adopted py
the Naval Committee was wideneu III
its scope 40 that its application would
be not only to commanders OF SUP
marines which might violate the recog- :
nized laws Of war, but also commanaers
Of naval vessels of any character. Inc
reason for this modification pt the orig
inal Root proposal was not disclosed II,
the official announcement which carrieu
the resolution as Il was adopted
The resolution as finally adopted mnae
clear the liability to punishment lor
piracy Of submarine commahuers, g
qordless of whether their act was oi
their own initiative or under thelr gov
crnment's orders. ,, o,o.,
THE crime Of piracy also would relatG
TO violations Of existing internatlonal
law In attacks on merchant ships aS
laid down in the first two koot reso-
lutions adopted by the committee yes.
terday. and would not relate 10 In'
third Root resolution. which was eN :
plained to be a new agreement app.SinS
at present only to the five pr'hcipa'
naval Powers.
Call Poison Gas Inhuman Agency
The subject Of poison gas developed
from report on chemical warfare suo
mittcd by the American Advisory Com ,
mittec, recommending prohibition ol
Doison Ras as an inhuman agency oI
war. Mr.. Root presented resolution
to the committee embodying the. prin-
ciples Of the Advisory Committee $ rec
concentrations. Iii.
Italy Immediately announced adne
sion to the proposed American principle
| Spokesmcn Of the other Powers ueSlre'
to examine the American proposal il
more detail and asked that the suoJec,
go over until tomorrow. The American
Advisory Committees report, and ad'
dresses today by Secretary Hughes ant
Mr.. Root in it's support. were to b'
distributed later today to the other dele
cations for examination with a view u
disposal tomorrow. The Root resolution
to ban poison gas follows:
'"The use in war OF asphyXiating, poi
sonous or analogous liquids or material
or devices having been justly condemned
by the general opinion OF the civlliSe'
world and H. prohibition OF such us
having been declared in treaties whicl
a majority Of the civilized Powers ar
party;
"Now to the end that this prohibitio,
shall be universally accepted as a par
Of international law. binding alike tn
Iconsciences and practice of nations, tn
, signatory Powers declare their assent t
such prohibition, agree to be boun
thereby between themselves and invit
all other civilized nations to adher
thereto
American delegates pointed out the
the proposed prohibition of poison go
: was a declar ration of the Treaty {
Versailles.
May Form Part Of Treaty
. As to whether the resolution regard
ing poison gas will be made part {
the naval treaty or Will be drafted INT
: II separate convention or be contlnt
= to Il declaration of the Conference WI
said to be unsettled. Some America
t delegates believed it probable that, a
. though not technically Il naval subjcc
p II might go into the naval treaty.
The fourth Root resolution as rc
r drafted and adopted follows:
l., The slgnutory Powers, desiring
insure the enforcement of humane rul
: Of existing law declared by them wi,
= respect to attacks upon ana SciIu
= and destruction of merchant ships, flu
thcr declare that any person In Il
: service OF any Power who shall viola
?, anv of those rules, whether or not SUI
J, person IL under orders of goveri
mental superior, shall be deemed
= have violated the laws OF war and shi
be liable to trial and punishment as
= for an act of piracy and may DC prong
= TO trial before the civil or militia
t. authorities of any Power within I
jurisdiction Of which he may be found
1t Though unprecedented progress is b
10 ing made by committees in the dispos
Of the remaining naval questions, 1t W
said today by the British spokcsm
that there vas not the faintcst chan
Of getting matters in shape for pie
airy session this week.
IS With indications of growing trlctl
between the japanese and Chinese oV
, the Shantung controversy, their NEE
- ing today held little promise OF ore
~ in the deadlock over return OF the Isl
as Chow TSinanfu Railroad to China.