Evening star., 1922-12-09
|NEW 5IPOWERPACT
| WITH j. s, LIKELY
| FORFEITURE
Alliance Believed Possible
Result From CIemenceau's
Visit Here.
PRESIDENT GIVES HOPE
IN CONGRESS MESSAGE
Reference Made to Model Treaty"
Expected to Carry Influence
in Future.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

M DAVID LAWRENCE.
Germany. France. the United States.
Great Britain and Italy united to in
sure the peace of Europe just as the
four powers banded themselves a year
ago in a ten-year treaty to maintain
the peace of the Pacific-this may yes
be the outcome of former Premier
clemenceau's visit to America.
The aged French statesman did not
venture to make a concrete sugges-
I ton to conform with the purpose of
his mission until he read President
Harding's address to Congress, in
which Mr.. Harding recommend the
four-power pact in the Pacific az "a
model for like assurances wherever
in the world any common interests
are concerned
Ratification Imperative.
When the Washington conference
on limitation of armament was in ses-
sion year ago, the same thought
was put forward informally. but. so
far as American aid was concerned, il
was made clear that no such project
could be considered until the four
power pact in the Pacific had been
ratified. Twelve months have passed
without ratification by France. But
the pact is now being debated in the
French Parliament. and will be rati-
ned very soon. thus paving the way
for a revival Of the idea Of a Euro
pean treaty.
The French have not looked kindly
on the idea OF including Germany ia
such tranQuilizing pact. but il they
20 fr1 e. A1
Germany must be included. The prin-
cipal difference between the four
power pact and other offensive and
defensive alliances is that the latter
were usually aimed at single power
or group of powers. Instead of eX-
cluding Japan, with which nation ii
had been thought friction would ultI-
mately come. that country was in
cluded and made guarantor Of the
peace of the Pacific along with
France, Great Britain and the United
States.
Wording Of Treaty.
In order to provide an exact paral-
lei. the wording of a treaty to tran
quilize Europe and yet conform to
the spirit and letter of the document
which had already been ratified by
the United States Senate, with re-
spect to one region of the world.
would be as follows:
The high contracting parties agree
as between themselves to respect
their rights in relation to their inter
eStS in Europe.
IF there should develop between
any of the high contracting parties a
controversy arising out of any Euro
pean question and involving their
said rights which is not satisfactorily
settled by diplomacy. and is likely to
affect the harmonious accord now
happily subsisting between them.
they shall invite the other high con-
tracing parties to a joint conference
to which the whole subject will he re-
ferred for consideration and adjust
ment
Conference Provided For.
IF the said rights are threatened by
the aggressive action OF any other
power the high contracting parties
shall communicate with one another
fully and frankly in order to arrive
at an understanding as to the most
efficient measures to be taken. Jointly
or separately. to meet the exigencies
of the particular situation.
This agreement shall remain in
force for ten years from the time and
after the expiration Of said period i;
shall continue to be in force subject
to the right of any of the high con-
tracing parties to terminate it upon
twelve months notice.
This agreement shall be ratified as
soon as possible. in accordance with
the constitutional methods of the
high contracting parties"
The foregoing agreement is, word
for word, exactly what Mr.. Harding
proposed and what Senator Lodge
and a two-thirds vote of the Senate
ratified several months ago. The
democrats Joined with the repub-
licanS to accomplish ratification.
NJ Clemenceau doesn't see why
American interests in the Pacific
should be guarded by a treaty of this
kind and yet the much greater in
terest of the United States in Eu-
rope ignored. He would insist. as did
MIR. Harding about the Pacific, that
such a treaty applied to Europe
would not involve America in any
obligation to use force or in any
commitment to a supergovernment.
L. 8. Active Abroad.
America today is comforting and
communicating with other powers
about the near eastern troubles of
Europe and is playing a prominent
part in the sessions at Lausanne. The
advantage of a five-power pact along
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