Evening star., 1922-02-18
SAYSU. S. GAVEUP
RIGHTS IN PACIFIC.
Norman H. Davis Declares
England and Japan Gain
All by Treaties.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. February 1S.-Criti-
cism of the Washington conference
on armament and far eastern Ques-
tions was voiced in an address last
night by Norman H. Davis. former
undersecretary of state. who said 1t
had been anything but an American
diplomatic victory"
Mr.. Davis, speaking before the
Council on Foreign Relations. center
ed his attack upon the four-power
treaty, which. he declared, left the
British and Japanese fleets in control
of the far east. 1t also would seem.
he argued, that instead of getting rid
United States "had entered it. en-
larged it and changed the territory
covered by it."
Through the treaty. he said. Japan
obtained from the United States
pledge of good behavior in the Pa
surance.
Leading Into Alliances.
Americas entry into the pact. he
added. might lead this country into
the European system of alliances,
such as have made wars general IN
stead of localized. rather than toward
the league of nations. or amy other
genuine association of nations.
In signing the treaty, England.
France and Japan agreed to nothing
whatever except that for which they
We're already bound as members of
the league of nations. Mr.. Davis as
serted, unless it be that it Is an al
lance meaning more than it's ad-
vocates contend, and that article IL
of the four-power treaty is more
binding upon them than article x OF
the covenant of the league of ma
tionS.''
Mr.. Davis asked if it was not very
probable that the Chinese and Rus
sian peoples might conclude that the
United States had "abandoned our in
dependence of action and traditional
friendship for them by entering into
a pact with their oppressors?
All Should Have Been Invited.
It was difficult to see any objection
to inviting all of the nations. instead
of only four Of them. to Join the pact.
Mr.. Davis said. The answer, he as
sumed, might be that through the
league of nations they already had
agreed to confer, not only on Pacific
questions. but on those in any other
portion of the world.
Certainly, Holland. Portugal, China
and Russia (when there is a recog-
nized Russian government), all of
wnOm nave vital interests IN tne fd-
cif1c, should be parties to this treaty.
and why should Italy have been left
Out?" Mr.. Davis continued.
The representative ratio of naval
strength fixed at Washington certain
ly would be upset, he declared. by
by one Of the powers parties to the
new naval treaty. 1t would have been
wise. he thought, to have prohibited
any party to the treaty from making
alliance a0rapmanf with one
or more of the other members.
Minds Functioned Differently!
"Some minds functioned differently
in respect to questions in Asia, seven
thousand miles to the west of US.
than in Europe-three thousand miles
ments may, it is hoped, enable a
shortening of mental range. even to
the extent of realizing that questions
in may ytbns haye Aas m1st and
the Pacific ocean. and to world peace.
One could not look for peace in the
far east. he continued. until settle
left unsettled at washington. Among
these Mr.. Davis cited japanese occu-
patton of vladivostok and the north
ern half of the island OF Sakhalien
by the speaker was that Of Japan's
famous twenty-one demands of 1915.
He asserted no progress had been
made toward removing obstacles that
prevent prosperous operation OF the
Chinese Eastern railway. and would
make a "joke' Of the open door. These
obstacles he specified as the inability
of the interallied committee operating
the Chinese Eastern railway to extend
it's control over the Ussuri railway,
now in control Of Japan. which con-
meets with the Vladivostok terminus
of the Chinese Eastern, nor over its
other outlet at Port Arthur, the ter
minus of the South Manchurian rail-
way, also under Japanese control.
obligation to Use Force.
Mr.. Davis observed the existence Of
fear that the United States may be
morally obligated under the four-power
though Senator Lodge had explained
that no such obligation existed, the
senator, in so far as he knew, had not
made clear just what "our obligation
is not to use force.
He said he was doubtful of the "ef-
ficacy or wisdom of this country sur
rende ring it's inalienable sovereign
right to use force until the United
States forms part of some world
wide machinery, including all the pow
ers. large and small, for securing JUS
1ice and respect for rights without the
necessity of reSorting to force"
In explanation of ais statement that
the four-power treaty left the British
and japanese navies in control Of the
far east. Mr.. Davis said:
The United States is not permitted
TO increase fortifcations at Guam and
the Philippines, which in effect confines
our naval operations to American
waters. England. being permitted to in
crease her naval bases at Singapore,
Australia and New Zealand, may trans
fer large part Of her feet there
THE hope for peace" he said, "rests
not in this four-power pact. but. if any
where. in the will of the Japanese peo-
pie for cooperation and peace, and their
ability to reverse the imperialistic pol