The Washington herald., 1922-01-11
WORK On TREATIES
Five Chief Delegates Pass
Upon Text Drawn Up
By Experts.
CAREFUL STUDY
GIVEN TO DETAILS
Hope to Complete Task
For Plenary Session
At End of Week.

The task of completing the naval
limitations treaty, chief object of
the armament conference that has
been in session here since November
l2. rapidly is taking shape.
The legal experts turLed the
lengthy document over to the five
chiefs of delegations yesterday af-
ternoon. They spent three hours
reading the document ard had made
what was described by Chairman
Hughes as excellent progress"
when adjournment was taken until
today.
The method being pursued is to
read every paragraph by itself.
When this is done all the members
Of the committee announce whether
they are satisfied or not. II they
are, the next is taken up. II they
are not. then a discussion ensues iE
AN effort to reach an agreement
satisfactory to all concerned.
Some Decisions Reserved.
Should an agreement not be DOS
sible at the moment the paragraph
under discussion is reserved for
further actor and the committee
passes on to the next So far there
have been a number OF paragrap phs
that OF necessity have been placed
in reserve. The objection raised
usually is by no means serious. But
because of the involved nature OF
the language used. and the require
ment of having the treaty abso-
lnfPlv naFfRrr cha
taken with efforts simply to make
speed.
Just how soon the treaty can be
completed is not yet known. Some
of the delegations say that even
after 1t Is ready for the fun com.
mittee, made up of all the delegates
from the five chief naval powers,
its text will be cabled to the capi-
tails OF the nations involved to re-
ceive the approval of the various
cabinets. 1t was explained that,
even IL This shall prove necessary,
1t is unlikely that there will be
any very serious delay as a re-
suit.
Works on Two Treaties
The committee Is working out
two treaties. The first. of course.
puts into effect the reduction in
capital ships agreed upon and the
naval ratio to be followed: affirms
the policy concerning auxiliary
craft and airplane carriers. and
provides for the naval holiday as
amended to allow completion of
certain units by Great Britain and
the United States.
The second will carry into effect
the limitations on submarine war
fare and the prohibition of poison
gas. 1t may also restate the rules
for civilized warfare that were ap-
proved by The Hague conferences
only to he eliminated in the recent
world war.
1t has been hoped that it might
be possible TO complete this work
so that IT could be approved at a
plenary session Friday or Saturday.
There still is a chance that this can
be done. although last night the
outlook was none too promising.
Good Progress Made.
a spokesman for the American
delegation said last night that no
capital difficulties have been en-
countered by the chiefs of delega-
tions. When questions Of text
arise there is a general effort made
to reach an agreement through
suggestion of substitutes. This
has worked out most successfully
in many instances.
There have been OF course GER
tain points that have been raised,
that required submission to home
governments for instructions. But
these are surprisingly few in num-
ber. The American spokesman said
that. while II has been necessary
to proceed very slowly and care
fully. most surprising progress has
been made to date.
1t has been agreed that until
the naval proh'ems finally are dis
posed Of there will be no sttempt
to hold further meetings of the
Far Eastern Committee. The ma
val matters should all be out OF
the way not later than the first
of next week and then the nine
powers can proceed with their
task of Strengthening out China,
Siberia and the remaining matters
on the Agenda.
Predict Shantung Agreement.
The Shantung problem will be
settled before the conference FINAL
ly adjourns in the opinion of
Americans who are most familiar
with the situation. They expect
that the japanese eventually will
make concessions that will en-
a5ls the Chinese to save their
faces and approve an agreement
that VIII Ge satisfactory to every,
one concerned.
So far as the Siberian muddle
is concerned il il understood that
the American delegation believes
that the agenda there. as in China,
must be fully and carefully con-
sidered.
Expect Ten Treaties.
British spokesmen last night
were very hopeful that the confer
ence could conclude its labors by
the end of next week. They be-
lieved that plenary session
would he possible by Saturday. 1t
was stated that no single one of
these treaties is dependent on
any other one. but the hope was
expressed that all OF them as af-
fecting naval Limitation and war
fate generally should be completed
before any open debate was or