Evening star., 1937-10-07
ARTICLE VII IS NUb
OF 9P0WER PACT
It Provides for Full and
Frank Communication
on Violations.

The nub of the nine-power treaty,
which now is actually 14-power
treaty, invoked last night by the
United States in an effort to stem
Japan's activities in China, is Article
VII, which states:
The contracting parties agree that,
whenever situation arises which in
the opinion of any one of them involves
the application of the stipulations OF
the present treaty and renders desir-
able discussion Of such application,
there shall be full and frank COM
munication between the contracting
powers concerned"
The chief of the "stipulations" In
the treaty, which was signed here
February s, 1922, are outlined in Arti-
Gle I, thus:
The contracting parties, other than
China, agree:
"Q) To respect the sovereignty, the
Independence and the territorial and
administrative integrity OF China;
Opportunity for China.
"(2) To provide the fulle' and most
unembarrassed opportunity to China
to develop and maintain for herself
an effective and stable government;
"(0 To use their influence for the
purpose Of effectually establishing and
maintaining the principle OF equal op-
portunity for the commerce and indus
try OF all nations throughout the ter
ritory Of China;
90 To refrain from taking advan-
tage OF conditions in China in order
to seek special rights or privileges
which would abridge the rights of SUBJ
]ects or citizens Of friendly states
and from countenancing action mimi
cal to the security of such states"
In the other seven articles OF the
treaty, which are negligible in the
present crisis, the signatory govern
ments agree not to enter into other
treaty arrangements which would
Impair the principles stated in Article
4; agree to safeguard the open door;
10 abandon a policy looking toward
establishment of exclusive spheres OF
influence in China; to respect China's
neutral rights.
Chinas Promise.
China, In turn. agreed not to "exer-
else or permit unfair discrimination
In the use Of her railways. Article VIII
establishes the United States as the
arbiter OF the invocation of the treaty
IN these words:
Powers not signatory to the present
treaty, which have governments recoc-
nlzeo by the signatory powers and
Wnlcn nave treaty relations with
China, shall be invited to adhere to
the present treaty. To this end the
Government OF the United States will
make the necessary communications
70 non-signatory powers and will in
form the contracting powers Of the
replies received. Adherence by any
power shall become effective on re-
ceipl OF notice thereof by the Govern
ment OF the United States"
Japan, China, the United States,
Belgium, the British Empire, France
Italy. the Netherlands and Portugal
signed the treaty, an ofIshoot Of the
Naval Limitation Conference of 1921
Others Adhere.
Subsequently Bolivia, Denmark,
Mexico, Norway and Sweden ad-
hered to the treaty. Canada, Aus
tralia. South Africa, New Zealand
and India were included among the
f1rst signers by the af11xion of Great
Britain's seal to the document.
The signers for the United States
were Charles Evans Hughes, then
Secretary of State, now Chief Justice
OF the United States; Henry Cabot
Lodge, then chairman of the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations, now
dead; Senator Oscar w. Underwood
and Elihu Root, former Secretary OF
State, now dead.