The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-10
Final Threshing Out of Naval
Treaty Now Going On.
Pact May Be Given Fifteen
Years of Life.
MANY DETAILS LEFT over
Full Terms Expected Made
Public by Thursday.
MediatOrS Work Hard to Solve
Shantung Problem.


closed doors of the Pan American
building where so many momentous
decisions have been reached in the last
two months. the big five today began
final consideration of the naval treaty
which will set the limitations in ships.
guns and building until 1897.
In its essential features-the fleet
ratios and the ten year building holi-
day-the treaty is understood to re-
main unchanged from the lines orig
inally laid down, but in the supporting
provisions there have been details in
serted that are of much concern to
the Signatory powers.
How many of these will be knocked
out in the final diplomatic bartering,
or how many others will be added be-
fore the treaty text reaches the puer
lie, remains to be seen. 1t is accepted,
however, that the treaty will be un-
changed in its keystone provisions.
Provisions of Treaty.
Chief among the supporting pro-
visions of the new pact, as it was taken
Up today, are understood to be th2
following:
1. Any of the signatory powers can
renounce the treaty upon giving due
notice to the other four powers. This
provision is designed to take care of
possible war when no nation would
want to be bound by the limitations
agreed upon here.
2. The powers can be called to-
gether for amendment or revision of
the treaty upon the request of any one
of the signatory powers.
2. The life of the treaty will be fif-
teen years, or until 1897. altho the re-
placement building is not to start until
1881, so far as Great Britain. the
United States and Japan are concern
ed. France and Italy will be allowed
TO build one ship a year for three
years beginning in 1927.
4. Present surplus must not neces--
sarily be scrapped. Six ways are laid
down under which they may be saved
from the scrap heap and converted to
peace time uses if desired.
5. Guns on merchant ships will be
limited to six inches and merchant
vessels will be so constructed as to
not be capable of mounting guns of
greater caliber.
6. None of the signatory powers may
build for other governments, whether
in or out of the treaty, ships exceed
ing in tonnage or armament the fig
ures laid down in the treaty.
VIII Prevent IdIeness.
This last provision was designated
to overcome many objections that
shipyards and ship workers were
doomed to idleness under the cessation
of building originally proposed. The
nations now can keep their yards and
workers busy if they can get the
business and at the same time the
treaty powers can rest content that no
outside nation is building greater ships
than they themselves possess.
There are numerous other con-
tributory provisions, but these are the
tremely lengthy in its present form,
and it is considered probable that it
viii be amended and changed in many
places before signatures are attached.
The delegations have had twenty
four hours to study the document in
it's present form, and inquiry today re-
vealed that all OF them will have sug-
gestions to make in the secrecy of the
committee room.
Two days will be the informal time
limit set today for the consideration
of the treaty in committee 1t was
hoped today and tomorrow will be
sufficient to meet all objections and
questions and a plenary session could
becalled for Thursday to make the
treaty public
Delegates Plan Departure.
Both Britain and Japanese delega-
tions now plan to leave during the
last week in February, the British
sailing from New York and the Jap
anese from San Francisco.
The explanation offered for the
change in plans was that the details
that remained to be adjusted are too
numerous for quick settlement. One of
them is that portion of the five-power
naval treaty dealing with Pacific for
tifiCations. Another is the Shanrung
question, which Balfour is directly as
scciated with as one of the two me
GATORS"
Each of the egations-American
British, French, Japanese and Italian
Il IL 11r- to Il 5e.r-
the treaty prior to the meeting of the
heads of delegations in the Pan Amer
lean building.
The American delegates met with
Secretary Hughes at the state depart
ment. Later. Hughes will meet Bal
Col7