Arizona republican., 1922-01-09
MERCHANT SHIP
ARMAMENT MAY
DELAY BIG FIVE
ACTION ON PACT
Question of Aiming Mer-
chant Ships Will Be One
of Most Difficult Prob
lens In Final Debate
IRepubIIcan A. P. Leased Wlrel


WASHINGTON, Jan. s.-As the
arms conference prepares to begin
discussion of the final draft Of the
five-power naval treaty, some dele
gates are studying the question of
arming merchant vessels as it may
relate to the agreement.
In no quarter is there apparent a
disposition to ra,se an issue which
might endanger the treaty at this
point in the negotiations, but among
foreign delegations 1t is predicted
privately that the armed ship prob
lem will be one OF The most difficult
Of the collateral questions to arise
when the final draft is gone over.
Italians, japanese and French all
are said to feeI that il merchant men
are to be permitted to arm, the effect
might be not only to vitiate the prof.
ect to limit individual auxiliary war
ships to 10000 tons each, but it might
also result in great disadvantage
to the nations which have small mer-
chant fleets.
Beyond saying that the status of
a merchant ship is to be the status
well understood in international, the
American and British delegates are
not willing to discuss the subject. 1t
is the view in some quarters, how
ever, that the British may bring the
point up for, discussion.
The subcommittee draft of the
treaty was virtually complete to-
night, after six-hour Sunday ses.
sion of the naval experts, and the
full naval committee probably viii
begin discussion of it tomorrow or
Tuesday. A plenary session to make
the treaty public probably will fol-
low this week and then the delegates
will turn their full attention to un-
settled Far East questions.
Shantung Deadlock
Meantime the Shantung contro-
versy remains in deadlock, but hope
Of an agreemen' this week was ex-
pressed in American quarters. The
mediation of Secretary Hughes and
Arthur j. Balfoul is looked on by the
Americans and British as almost GER
tain to bring the two groups together,
although this optimism is not shared
by all Chinese and Japanese dele
gates.
It is evident that the Shantung
problem has been brought to a deli
cate stage, where either settlement
or an agreement to disagree will be
announced in a few days.
The question of arming merchant
men has arisen in connection with
the attempt of the naval experts to
include in the treaty a definition Of
the term "warship." Such a defini-
ton is regarded by the naval author
ties as necessary particularly In view
of the 10000 ton auxiliary limit and
the related provision prohibiting any
auxiliary craft from carrying guns
OF more than eight-inch calibre.
Although no announcement was
made after today's meeting OF the
experts, there were indications that
the attempt to define an auxiliary
warshlp was giving the committee
considerable trouble In II, it is said
is involved the question of wartime
relations between merchant fleets and
war fleets.
The position OF the Italians was
said to be tina, the status of a mer-
chant ship would be effectually
changed under the limitation agree
ment, and that If no change were
provided for, the nations having the
greatest merchant tonnage would be-
come IN the nature of things dispro-
portionately powerful. The arming
with 12,inch or 14-inch guns of a
54,OOO-ton merchant ship like the
Leviathan, il is poiuted out. would
nave tendency to undermine the
$4,000 ton, eight-inch auxiliary clause
unless armed merchant men are to
De considered as war ships.
Ihe Japanese also are described as
oeleving that the status of the mer-
chant ships must be considered in
connection with the general naval
question. Although the French give
evidence of holding similar views, and
also Of being uncertain whether mer-
chant men could arm under new regu-
lation prohibiting submarine attacks
on commerce, they say they do not
intend to raise the point at this stage
OF the negotiations.