PACIFIC PEACE CHARTER.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17812, 11 July 1923, Page 9

PACIFIC PEACE CHARTER.

THE FOUR-POWER TREATY. ratification jy francs. IBT CABLK ASSOCIATION —COIYIUOHTj liliiU.Liit AND N.Z. A3iUHA'lloN ) PARIS, July 9. The Chr.mber if Dc ;J iu.ci uiunimousiy named the racilic ireaty. What is usua.iy known as the 1 our to.xji n ..»*> ui V* Ou i UyiU.JY OLll, l.'d£4. lllC piCaiuklie Uul Uint ' Uie t/iuttill Otuleo 01 -vlllOt K..i, Vile Jji'itiaii JL'.UljJlie, 1' I'iiuce, and Jupuii, ului u view to tne pres-ji'vaLion oi uie b eiierai peav.e aim me maiJjtonaii>.e oi tneir ri o ui.i in rci.ii.iuu tu Lueir uisuuu' po&besMLms and msuuu dumuuuus m the regions oi tne leucine VJ'ceun, llaVO ucienilined to COUcii.ae a treaty to this eilect.'' Article 1. of the treaty provides that the nign contracting parties agree as between tuemseuves io rebpect tiieir riguts in relation to their insular possesions and luMuur uonuniijns in Paciric. If there should develop between any of the parties a controversy arising out of any Pacific question and involving their rights which is not .satisfactorily settled by diplomacy, and "is likely to aii'ect the harmonious accord now happily suosisting between them, they shall invite the other parties to a joint conference, to which the whole subject will be referred for consideration and adjustment." Article 11. provides that if the said tights are threatened by the oppressive action of any other Power, tne contracting parties shall communicate with ono 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. Article 111. provides that the treaty shall remain in force "from the time it shall take effect," and after the expiration of that period tt shall continue in force subject to the right of any of the contracting parties to terminate it upon twelve months' notice. Article IV. provides that the treaty shall be ratified "as soon afe possible," anu shall take effect upon the deposit of ratifications at Washington, and "thereupon the agreement between Great Britain and Japan (the AngloJapanese Alliance), which was concluded at London on July 13th, 1911, shall terminate." The treaty was ratified last year by the United States, the British Empire, and Japan. In the ease of the United States a reservation passed by the Senate on March 27th, 1922, was added as follows:—"The United States understands that under the statement in the preamble, or under the terms of this treaty, there is no commitment to armed force, no alliance, and no obligation to join in any defence." Apart from its general significance, the ratification gi the treaty by France is important in two respects. As, presumably, the deposit of the French ratification at Washington will take place this month, the treaty will remain in force, in accordance with Article 111., until July-August, 1933: and the Anglo-Japanese Treaty will terminate automatically with the deposit pf this, the last ratification. The Anglo-Japanese Treaty was for a period of ten years, from July 13th, 1911, but it provided that it should continue in force until the expiration of one year from the day on which either party should have denounced it.