Evening star., 1932-02-28
1921 ARMS PARLEY
SUSTA|NS ST|MSON
Records Support Contention
Peace in Pacific Is Hinged
on Nine-PoWer Pact.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Challenge by a Japanese government
spokesman in Toxic of Secretary Stin-
sons contention that the nine-power
treaty is the actual keystone of the
-rch of peace in the Pacific, erected
by the Washington Conference Of 1921
%, invites appeal to the written record
of that conference.
Only there can be cleaned a true
understanding Of tie interrelationship
OF the seven treaties which were the
product of that conference.
The most casual examination of that
record seems convincing 1t sustains
Mr.. Stimsons view in both letter and
spirit. The very chronology of events
at the conference backs him UP.
The first formal action taken by the
conference, at its fouth plenary session
! December 10, 1921. was adoption of the
Root resolution by a roll call vote.
Becomes Article 1 Of Treaty.
That resolution later was embodied
! unchanged as article l of the nine
power treaty. No definite commit
mentS as to naval limitations or as to
any other Of the five additional treaties
which grew out of the conference had
been made prior to that action.
the existing Sino-Japanese situation Of
arLicle l OF the treaty that all the dip
lomatic efforts of the United States or
other signatorieS have turned in the
last few months.
1t sets out not alone common pledge
| to respect China's territorial and ad-
ministrative integrity, but also commits
| the signatorieS ito provide the fullest
and most unembarraSsed opportunity to
81 zkaN.. e.. 49,
self an effective and stable govern
ment''
Perhaps the most specific recognition
of the interrelationship of the whole
treaty fabric to promote peace in the
Pacific was voiced by President Hard
ing when he presented the treaties and
accompanying documents to the Senate
for ratification in February, 1922.
Mr.. Harding pointed out that the
Senate had not only already Specifi-
cally advised" the negotiation of the
naval limitation treaty, but by infer
ence also had recommended pact such
as the nine-power treaty to erase causes
of friction in the Orient.
Important Relationship.
Much as it was desirable to lift the
burden of naval armament and strike
at the menace Of competitive construc-
ton and consequent expenditure" he
said to the Senate, ''the executive
branch Of the Government. which must
be watchful Of the Nations safety, was
unwilling to covenant reduction of
armament until there could be plighted
new guarantees of peace, until there
could be removed the probable menaces
of conflict.
Therefore all the treaties submit-
ted for your approval have such i'm
portant relationship, one to another,
that, though not interdependent they
are the covenants Of harmony, Of as
surance, Of conviction, OF conscience
and of unanimity."
At another point President Harding
said Of the nine-power pact itself:
"I bring you this particular covenant
in the confident belief that 1t is the
outstanding compact Of peace in the
Pacific, which will justify the lin1ita-
, ton of armament and prove a new
guarantee to peace and liberty and
maintained sovereignty and free insti-
tutions."
Two Views Prevailed.
At the initial session of the conference,
following his Selection as presiding of
ficer, the then Secretary Hughes dis
closed that two views prevailed as to
the order in which the two major pur.
poses of the gathering, armament limi-
tations and solution of Pacific and Far
Eastern problems, should be dealt with.
One view, he said, was that conSidera-
tion of armaments should await the
result of discussion Of the Far Eastern
question; the other that q reverse
order be followed.
Alternatively Mr. Hughes proposed
simultaneous discussions and the con-
ference adopted his suggestion creating
two major committees for the purpose.
One was a flve-power group to deal
with naval limitations and the other
Nine-power Committee on Far East
ern matters.
The Root resolution was drawn ct
request of the nine-power group and
promptly reported back to a plenary
session of the conference and unani-
mously adopted. 1t was the first prod
uct Of the conference, publicly arrived