Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-02-04

SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 4 1927
EVENTS OF A WEEK.
Except for the closing for1nasit;es the arms
conference is over. 1t is expected that the treaties
which have been agreed on will be signed OF, Mon
day, and that at that time President Harding will
address the delegates, ielieitating them or 1heir
work and bidding them farewell. Eight treaties ii
all have been framed and accepted by al, the parties
affected, these covering the entire range Of subjects
discussed. In accordance with the usual ior7a the
treaties contain PTovlslcns ir their ratification a1-
eo1di1lg to the constitutional methods OF each sigma
tory power. this function ii! the case OF the United
States devoiying On the senate.
The conference was called fo- two spec51e ru--
poses frst, to set III motion processes ;o- the iu.;-
tation OF armament. with the consequent Iessea;ne
OF the burdens OF taxation which the citizens q al
nations have to bear, and the iessen;ng o. war -;ss
By lessening the machinery OF war: and second. the
establishment OF the nations having interests II ~
adjacent to the Pacific on a basis which would elm
mate possible causes OF MISUNDERSTANDING which.
night be provocative OF wa-,
The efforts put forth in these directions have
been attended with q measure OF success iar beyond
what seemed possible. The mere rl-ar;o. a -ae
more conspicuous of these achievements makes al
impressive list. Among them are agreements for.
Inc practlcally immediate reduction O; the
capital ship tonnage OF the greatest three nzr:es by
one-half:
. Tx iliIiGSici Ci rance GHC ltaiT II the CCC-
mon agreement so that the general balance will -c.
be disturbed b. building activity by those nations;
! Proportionate limitation Of the tonnage Of
Auxiliary craft and OF the size Of individual vessels;
Limitation OF submarine tonnage and the out
laying of the submarine as an instrument io7 at
1Ssking merchant vessels;
Re-att1rmation OF the principles Of internatior-
aslaw providing for the safety of non-combatants ;
Establishment Of definite rules for publicity as
ts naval construction and prohibiting transactions
N1,rt1 -yD,,}S Facilitate c,,rre1A.+io,,e
tie gulse Of construction for some other nation:
Exchange OF guarantees for mutual respect OF
Mutual rights and interests in island territory in the
Tactic:
Full recognition By ali parties OF the independ-
es1e and sovereignty Of China, abolition OF special
privileges and guarantees Ct equal trade rights in
THAT country, with provisions for a Chinese fiscal
pYlicy which will increase Chinese revenues;
Settlement OF long-standing controversies be-
tween China and Japan, with definite provisions Tor
TIE restoration Of S~hantung, with its railway and
oEaer interests, to China, and the abatement of the
MORE vexatious Of the "twenty-one demands made
b Japan.
The above is but a partial statement of the
achievements OF the conference. 1t NAV well be
doubted II any gathering before this has achieved
Sd much of immediate practical benefit to SO many
pfople. with potential results for good reaching SO
tar and so widely into the future. For this work
tie world will owe a debt Of gratitude to President
Harding for initiating the conference movement.
and to Secretary Hughes, who has been it's guiding
Spirit. The other American delegates have COOP
effated heartily and loyalty in the work, and the
unanln1lty with which American and British dele
gates have supported each other in every essential
Policy has done much to justify the faith of those
who believe that in the community of spirit and
mutually OF understanding OF the English-speaking
races civilization has its strongest assurance Of
peace and progress.
While the arms conference has been putting
the finishing touches on its work, congress has been
dealing with a highly important subject in the war
Z debt funding bill. After much debate the senate
passed the house bill providing for the creation OF
IA commission which should have authority to re-
fund the Indebtedness Of other nations to the United
States on such terms as may be considered most de-
sifable IN each particular case Amendments were
added providing for an interest rate of ~ per cent,
md that the time OF payment shall not be extended
beyond June Is, 1947. These amendments were
accepted by the house, and the bill becomes a law
upon receiving the presidents signature !,
The soldiers bonus has come up for discussion
liz connection with every fiscal measure proposed
slapd numerous suggestions have been made for
imsefabods whereby the fund necessary for this our
1850 NAV Be raised. Secretary Mellon adt,eres
~ financed except by some form of direct taxation
fAegied for that purpose, and, as the secretary OF the
4 1fkasury may be understood to be in accord with his
cc6ief On 50 important z subject, it now seems Ger.
E4NSn that no Dill pIOVla1HS LOT any OF the painless
aAhamm6ethods Of raising this fund would get past The
1ueeesidet even if congress should pass Il
According To program the college of cardinal.
scSSnrvened on Thursday in the quarters IN tie Watt
IL Rome SIT apart for that purpose, and on Fri
M f7YySthe first four ballots for the election Of a new
s153 rpew ere taken, without result Absolute secrec,
irrotnds the gathering, except that q Seaeh set q
Its has been destroyed, the smoke from ths
RSSpbei chinun4y inforrnsrthe watchers that the vote
rem fruiAcss 1t has been arranged that fou,