Washington Conference.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1922, Page 2

Washington Conference.

WASHINGTON TREATIES. SENT TO CONGRESS FOR APPROVAL. From the Special Representative of the Australian Press Association.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 11. In submitting the Armament Conference resolutions to the Senate for ratification, President Harding, in his speech, said:— Unless America, approves of the treaties, its influence throughout the world will be discredited, and its future efforts of a like nature will be rendered futile. He declared' the treaties will menacing disagreements, and will establish sureties in place of uncertainties k_ which might easily lead to an armed conflict. In inviting prompt approval of the treaties, Mr Harding said (that without their ratification, it would be impossible to readjust their naval programme. He assured the Senate that nothing in any of the Treaties commits the United States, or any other Power to any kind of alliance or 1 entanglement. “If nations may not trust one another,” he remarked, “then indeed there is little whereon to hang our faith in advancing civilisation. We can do no more without international negotations and agreements these days than we could maintain order and neighbourliness at home, without pre- - scribed rules of conduct.” He declared that America’s unwillingness to be part of the League of Nations was kept in mind in framing the documents. The Treaties, had no semblance of a relationship, save as a wish to promote common inspiration. The four-Power Treaty contained no war committments. It was a moral warning that any aggressive nation would be embarking on a hazardous enterprise. If such an agreement were not binding, then all efforts to stabilise peace must be flung to the winds. “Either these Treaties must have your cordial sanction,” he said, “or every proclaimed desire to promote peace and prevent war would become a hollow mockery.”

Admitting that the Pacific has been the source of grave concern, Mr Harding said:— There has been apprehension of territorial greed’, that most fruitful cause of war. The conference has dissipated both. I am ready to assume a s sincere and dependable upon the assurances of our neighbours of the Old World, that they wiH respect our right, just as I know we will respect theirs. I believe there is an inviolable national honour. I bring this particular covenant in the confident that it is an outstanding compact of peace for the'*“ world, which will justify a limitation of armaments.

The President submitted seven Treaties, namely:—The Five-Power Naval Treaty; the Five-Power Treaty regulating poison gas and submarines; the Four-Power Pacific Treaty, and an accompanying declaration regarding American rights; the mandated terri- , tory agreement; a supplementary Pacific Treaty, excluding the Japanese honm_ lands from the Treaty terms; the Power Treaty, and) the Chinese Open Door and Tariff Treaty. President Harding was loudly applauded. Following the President’s speech Senator Borah announced that he support the Treaties if it could be proved that they are non-entangling ones. President Harding submitted, with the Treaties ,the American Delegation’s report on the Conference, containing an abstract quoting declarations and speeches, and summarising the results. The declares that to appraise correctly the Conference accomplishment, they must bo considered as a whole, since each contributes to a combination of conditions in whicE peaceful < security will tale tike place of competitive preparations for war,