The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-07
j. {.
BUT DOUBT
t: CAN Be
ENFORCED
Conference Nearing Close With
Regulations for "Humaniz-
ing" of Warfare.
BY GEORGE II. HOLMES.
international News Service.


Poison as as a weapon of legal
lied warfare was well on the road
to abolishmsnt today when the pow
fers again met around the green
covered table in the Pan-American
building to continue gathering up
loose ends of the fast-fading confer
ence.
British Agree.
Official announcement that Great
Britain will support the proposal t.
abolish gas, even though doubling
whether the prohibition ever could
adequately be enforced, was made by
a spokesman for the British delegation
today.
Italy already has signified her ar-
ceptance Of the proposal, and little
doubt existed today that the accept
ances Of France and Japan would be
voiced In tOday's session, which Cos
under way at IL o'clock.
Every indication pointed to the
five great powers placing a perma-
nent ban on the use of gas, and then
trying to have their action ratified
by the world and Incorporated into
the law Of all nations in the same
manner that the world will be asked
to subscribe to the outlawing Of sub
marine attacks on commercial YES
sells.
In so doing. the statesmen Of the
five powers will be riding over the
advice OF the various experts, who
contend that enforcement Of the ban
on gas il nearly impossible so long
as the great manufacturing nations
go ahead making dyes and other
chemical products.
Experts Advice Ignored.
However. the advice Of the experts
has been disregarded many times in
the course Of the conference. A. ].
Balfour, the veteran leader of the
British delegation, said:
Experts are all right In their
places, but they should not be a.
lowed to direct the policies of states
men,
There is some opposition to the
abolition Of gas, but it is expected to
melt away, just as did the opposition
to the banning of submarine attacks
on commercial vessels.
1t appeared today that three dis
tinct steps toward "humanizing" war.
fare will be taken by the powers in
the closing days of the conference:
ID restrictions on submarine warfare,
(2 banning poison gas, and, (3 re-
strictions upon the use Of aircraft
over cities and non -combatant areas.
The first already Is accomplished, the
second may be accomplished today,
and the third is expected to follow
shortly. Elihu Root and the Ameri-
can delegation will go down in his
tory as fathering this trinity Of "hu-
manizers."
Moving Toward Adjournment.
Elsewhere, the conference moved
steadily ahead today toward adjourn.
ment. The hope was expressed in some
quarters that the last of next week
will see the conference adtourning
sine die. Members of the British del
egation are booked to sail on Janu-
ary Il, one week from today, and
they say they see no reason for can.
ceiling their accommodations.
The naval and drafting experts are
placing the finishing touches on the
r;ve.powered naval treaty. II prob
ably will be presented to the full com
mittee on Monday, ratified, and then
4 plenary session arranged for an.
nouncing II to the world early in the
new week.
This will leave Siberia the only
item on the agenda, and that can be
disposed of quickly, according to the
conference leaders. by the adoption
Of general resolution defining the
aims Of the powers concerned.
The status of the Shantung couiru.
Vcrsy was left in some doubt today
as a result of breaking off the private
conversations here between the Japa-
nese and Chinese. There were in.