Directory_and_Chronicle_1925 — Page 308

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS

THE QUADRUPLE ALLIANCE

OFFICIAL TEXT

At the fourth plenary session of the Conference on Limitation of Armaments, held on December 10th, 1921, Senator Lodge made public the following draft of a treaty and accompanying reservations:--

The United States of America, the British Empire, France and Japan, with a view to the preservation of the general peace and the maintenance of their rights in relation to their insular possessions and insular dominions in the regions of the Pacific Ocean, have determined to conclude a treaty to this effect and have appointed as their plenipotentiaries :—

The President of the United States-

His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the seas, Emperor of India-

And

For the Dominion of Canada

For the Commonwealth of Australia- For the Dominion of New Zealand For India-

The President of the French Republic- His Majesty the Emperor of Japan-

Who, having communicated their full powers found in good and due form, have agreed as follows:--

ARTICLE I. The high contracting parties agree as between themselves to respect their rights in relation to their insular possessions and insular dominions in the region of the Pacific Ocean. If there should develop between any of the high contracting parties a controversy arising out of any Pacific question and involving their said rights, which is not satisfactorily settled by diplomacy and is likely to affect the harmonious accord now happily subsisting between them, they shall invite the other high contracting parties to a joint conference to which the whole subject will be referred for consideration and adjustment.

ARTICLE II.-If the said rights are threatened by the aggressive action of any other Power, the high contracting parties shall communicate with one another fully and frankly in order to arrive at an understanding as to the most efficient measures to be jointly or separately taken to meet the particular situation.

ARTICLE III.-This Agreement shall remain in force for ten years from the time it shall take effect, and after the expiration of said period it shall continue to be in force subject to the right of any of the high contracting parties to terminate it upon twelve months' notice.

ARTICLE IV. This Agreement shall be ratified as soon as possible in accord- ance with the constitutional methods of the high contracting parties and shall take effect on the deposit of ratifications, which shall take place at Washington, and thereupon the Agreement between Great Britain and Japan which was con- cluded at London on July 13th, 1911, shall terminate.

RESERVATIONS.-The signing of this Treaty is on the part of the United States subject to (reservations affecting) the island of Yap and what are termed the Mandate Islands in the Pacific Ocean, north of the Equator, the negotiations in regard to which are almost concluded, and also the reservations with respect to what are termed the Mandate Islands in the Pacific Ocean south of the Equator.