WORLD’S PEACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18448, 9 January 1922, Page 5

WORLD’S PEACE

ARMS CONFERENCE. AN ASSOCIATION OF NATIONS. A LONG STEP FORWARD. WAR WITH NON-SIGNATORY POWER. IMPORTANT TREATY PROVISION. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. WASHINGTON, January 6. (Received Jan. 8, at 5.5 p.m.) As at present drafted the_ treaty provision dealing with the possibilities of war with a non-signatory Power is most ira-. portant, marking a long step forward _ in the association of nations. Th° wording says that in the event of any! of the five Powers being threatened with war the other four shall confer and see what measures can be taken to avert war. Thus, for example, suppose war was threatened against Italy by Greece- Then the United States, France, Great Britain, and Japan would meet to consider the position _ and perhaps offer their good offices or indicate their opinion that war was not justified. In the event .of the threat becoming an actuality the remaining Powers would retain their neutrality, but would make it known that Italy, during the pendency of the war, would h& absolved from the limitations of the treaty and would be entitled to increase her naval power, after wards reverting to the ratio fixed. While this provision does not constitute the five Powers 1 an ’ alliance, 'and while there is no promise, direct or indirect, to use force or bind any Power to the assistance of another, nevertheless it is a moral league which should do much, it is believed, to avert danger of ..u European war. It is not a league of nations, but a league to maintain and enforce peace, inasmuch as a nation; in the wrong in threatening or declaring war would risk isolation by all the Powers and would think twice before entering war under such conditions, whether, such nation be a signatory or non-signatory Power. It will be interesting to see the American reaction on (his provision. Many will detect a covert Article 10, but the provision has nothing really _in common with Article 10. The provision carries out President Harding’s long-cherished hope for an association of nations, recognising not force but moral power, bringing the nations together to achieve definite results and imposing no binding obligations. The American delegates have given their sanction to this article, being convinced that it is not open to the same objections as the League Of Nations.—A. and N.Z. Cable. /

SINKING OF MERCHANTMEN

OFFENDERS LIABLE AS PIRATES.

CHEMICAL WARFARE PROHIBITED. WASHINGTON, January 6. (Received Jan. 8, ai 5.5 p.mA Official: The Committee on the limitation of Armament adopted after discussion the following resolution : The eigna-1 tory Powers, desiring to ensure the enforcement of humane rules in the existing law declared by them in respect to aviacks upon and the seizure and destruction of merchant ships, further declare any person in the service of any Power who shall violate any of those rules, whether or not such person is under orders from a Governmental superior, shall be deemed to have violated the laws of war, shall be liable to trial and punishment as if for an act of piracy, and may be brought up to trial before the civil or military authorities of any Power within whose jurisdiction he may be found. After the resolution on piracy was passed the chairman introduced the sub-, ject of the use of gas. He read the report of the conference subcommittee. In addition to the points already cabled, the committee pointed out that it was possible, though there would be greater difficulty, to confine the action of chemical gasses as in the case of explosives. The committee felt their use should be prohibited against- cities, but not against combatants. The committee pointed l out that the United States, French and British representatives on the cub-oom-mittee, who knew gas, were* in condemning chemical warfare and the gases' form of waging war. They pointed, out the frightful consequences of poisoning if dropped from aeroplanes, and the jm'possibility of confining gases to any particular target as in artillery jaaef Root explained*" that they had drafted "the-resolulion in the language <>, the Treaty of Versailles, which was sub scribed to by four out of the five Powers at the present conference, and it had beei taken over by the United States. The resolution r t eads as follows : The use.- in war of asphyxiating, poisonous, and *analogous liquids, materials, or devices having been justly condemned by the general opinion r the civilised world and the prohibition of such uses having been declared in treaties whereto the majority of the civilised Powers were parties, now to the end that this prohibition shall universally bo accepted as part of International Law and binding alike on the consoience and practice of the nations, the signatory Powers declared their assent'to such prohibition and .agree to be bound thereby between themselves and invite all other civilised nations to, adhere thereto. j ~ —A. and N.Z. Cable..

REMAINING NAVAL PROBLEMS. * ■ ■■ ■ USE OF POISON GAS. CONFERENCE AT VARIANCE. (From the Special Representative op i\hb Australian Press Association.) WASHINGTON, January 6. (Received Jan. 8, at 11.5 p.ra.) Though the Naval Committee is approaching the end of its Labours, one or two problems are still facing it, for instance, the usq of submarines for blockading purposes as raised by the French—whetner they can bo used as commerce destroyers, working in conjunction with surface vessels which - could take the passengers and crews of merchantmen before sinking them. Another question on which a debate is likely is the arming of merchantmen. Though the British declared they would claim unrestriction, it is probable they will agree to a limit for guns to 6in, in spite of the fact that several new liners have been built to take Bin puns. The British spokesman to-day indicated that Shantung governs the question relating to the return of leased territorj’ - to China. If there is no agreement thereon the Powers are unlikely to abandon their leaseholds. The Disarmament Conference is expected to-day to consider the use of poison gas in war. ‘They will have three reports before them. The American Advisory Committee opposes -its use. the American expert approves, and the Conference Subcommittee, with representatives of the five Powers thereon, is divided. The British, Americans, and French favour its use, and the Italians object. Japan, without an extended war experience of this weapon, is described as on the fence, and inclined to be favourable. It is notable that General Pershing; who is on the committee, is opposing. It is understood that Senator Root presented a resolution outlawing poison gas in war to the naval meeting to-day. Italy

immediately signified her acceptance, but tho other Powers asked for time to consider the various committee reports circulated in connection therewith. The resolution is a surprise, as running counter to the Conference Sub-committee’s recommendations. It is understood that the sub-committee on gas, which was appointed by the Conference, presented a somewhat indefinite report, implying differences of opinion among its members, ( A general application for the abolition of gas in warfare cannot be partial, but must be complete. Tho present Conference cannot bind other nations, nor such Powers bind themselves, while an unscrupulous enemy might use gas indiscriminately. It is impossible to restrict chemical research and manufacture. Finally, the report made no recommendation regarding the manner of dealing with gas. It pointed out that Geramnv, Austria, and Hungary were all forbidden to manufacture poison gas linger treaty.—A. and N.Z. (^hle.