Evening star., 1922-01-01

the original Hughes program
which relates to total tonnage al
loWanceS of submarines and aux
Hilary surface combatant craft
goes by the board.
Mr. Root now submitted two
resolutions which do him honor.
The first resolution affirms the
existing provisions of the laws of
war relating to treatment of mer-
chant vessels and their crews and
passengers by combatant craft.
and emphasizes the fact that sub
marines are not exempt from these
rules. 1t was accepted by the con-
ferees. The second resolution is
being recast. 1t will read substan-
TALLY as follows:
"The signatory powers recognize
the practical impossibility OF using
submarines as commerce destroy
ers without violating the require
mentS universally accepted by civ
iliZed nations for the protection of
the lives of the neutrals and nom
combatants. and. to the end that
the prohibition of such use shall
be universally accepted as a part
of the law of nations. they declare
their assent to such prohibition
and they agree to be bound forth
with thereby as between them
selves. and they invite all other
nations to adhere to the present
agreement"
If several delegations are con-
sulting their governments con-
cerning this resolution, it cannot
be imagined that any OF the gov
ernments will refuse its assent.
The conferees have agreed TO linn
itation of the caliber Of naval
guns. except on capital ships. to
eight inches: the limit for capi-
tai ships guns shall be sixteen
inches. Mr.. Hughes proposal to
limit the size of auxiliary surface
awaits instructions from Paris to
the French delegation. the other
delegations having assented.
The ,Gonferees have voted limi-
tation of the size of aircraft car
riers to $1,000 tons, and total ton
mage allowances of that type
have been fixed as follows: Great
Britain. 10000: the United States.
10000; Japan. $1,000; France,
$4,000; Italy. 10000.
To sum up the results of the
naval discussions to date: Mr..
Hughes capital ship program has
been adopted substantially as pro-
posed. His program respecting al
loWanceS of submarines and aux
iliary surface combatant craft has
been rejected: but the size Of in
dividual auxiliary surface craft
has been limited to 10000 tons
assuming assent from Paris), and
ii is agreed that no gun of caliber
greater than s inches shall be
carried by any craft other than
capital ships. The size of aircraft
carriers has been limited to 27,O0O
tons and reasonable assignment
of tonnaSes has been agreed on.
The defeat in respect of subma-
rines is widely believed to be only
temporary. That type is PROB
ably doomed; in which event an
agreement on limitation Of auxil-
iary surface craft could doubtless
be easily arranged. Even if the
submarine should he retained, the
second Root resolution should
make II comparatively innocuous.
Altogether a famous victory for
Mr.. Hughes.
\ X X X
Mfscellaneous-T is very lit
tie domestic news of importance
to report this week; the most i'm
portant item. perhaps, being the
death of Henry Watterson. a great
journalist and one of the most
picturesque personalities of his
time. And We must notice the re-
lease of Eugene Debs from the At
lanta federal prison on Christina 5
day.
BRANDS enemies in the French
chamber gave him a bad quarter of
an hour recently. but with his
usual cieverness he managed to
secure a handsome vote Of con-
fidence.
Austria is proposing to mortgage
art treasures of great value, in
Guiding her glorious Gobelin tap
estries tsaid to be worth $4,000
000). to an American syndicate, in
order to obtain money for pur-
chase of foodstuffs.
1t is reported that German and
Polish representative in Upper
Silesia are working together in
"a very agreeable way" on a plan
of economic cooperation.
One hears Indirectly that Gen.
Zeligovski has withdrawn from
Wilma and that that much -har
rassed town is now under a pure
ly civil administration. May it be
inferred therefrom that the Polish
Lithuanian dispute is approaching
permanent settlement? l cannot
say.
There Is a melancholy report that
the Tirana government of Albania
has been overturned by insur-
rectOS.
The all-Russian soviet congress
is in session at Moscow. Lenin has
carried approval of his new
economic policy against a consid-
cradle bloc of die-hard extremists s
The Muscovite government has
appropriated s10,000,000 in gold. to
be turned over to the American
relief administration; thereby, il
is believed, completely emptying
it's gold chest. Relief agencies OF
western Europe are feeding some
100000 Russian children.
The Jordan is to be harnessed
for supply of electric power to
Palestine.