principles and to international law, and obligate themselves by the present convention not to use said substances in time of war. ARTICLE VI Six months after the coming into force of the present convention each of the contracting governments shall submit to the other Central American Governments a complete report on the measures adopted by said government for the execution of this convention. Similar reports shall be submitted semiannually, during the aforesaid period of the five years. The reports shall include the units of the army, if any, and of the national guard; and any other information which the parties shall sanction. ARTICLE VII The present convention shall take effect, with respect to theparties that have ratified it, from the date of its ratification by at least four of the signatory states. ARTICLE VIII The present convention shall remain in force until the first of January, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-nine, notwithstanding any prior denunciation, or any other cause. After thefirst of January, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-nine, it shall continue in force until one year after the date on which oneof the parties bound thereby notifies the others of its intention to denounce it. The denunciation of this convention by any of said parties shall leave it in force for those parties which have ratified it and have not denounced it, provided that these be not less than four in number. Any of the republics of Central America which should fail to ratify this convention, shall have the right to adhere to it while it is in force. ARTICLE IX The exchange of ratifications of the present convention shall bemade through communications addressed by the governments to the Government of Costa Rica in order that the latter may inform the other contracting states. If the Government of Costa Rica should ratify the convention, notice of said ratification shall also be communicated to the others. ARTICLE X The original copy of the present convention, signed by all of the delegates plenipotentiary, shall be deposited in the archives of the Pan-American Union at Washington. A copy duly certified shall be sent by the Secretary-General of the conference to each one of the governments of the contracting parties.. POSSESSIONS IN PACIFIC OCEAN 23 Signed at the city of Washington, on the seventh day of Febru ary, nineteen hundred and twenty-three. TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES, THE BRITISH EMPIRE, FRANCE, AND JAPAN," RELATING TO THEIR INSULAR POSSES SIONS AND INSULAR DOMINIONS IN THE REGION OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Whereas a Treaty between the United States of America, the British Empire, France and Japan, relating to their insular possessions and insular dominions in the region of the Pacific Ocean, was concluded and signed by their respective plenipotentiaries at Washington on December 13, 1921, the original of which Treaty, in the English and French languages, is word for word as follows: 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 region of the Pacific Ocean, Have determined to conclude a Treaty to this effect and have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries: Б The President of the United States of America: Charles Evans Hughes, Henry Cabot Lodge, Oscar W. Underwood and Elihu Root, citizens of the United States; 5 Treaty Series, No. 669. [Signed at Washington, December 13, 1921; ratification advised by the Senate, with a reservation and understanding, March 24, 1922; ratified by the President, June 9, 1923; ratifications deposited with the Government of the United States, August 17, 1923; proclaimed, August 21, 1923] 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 The Right Honourable Arthur James Balfour, O. M., M. P., The Right Honourable Baron Lee of Fareham, G. B. E., The Right Honourable Sir Auckland Campbell Geddes, for the Dominion of Canada: The Right Honourable Robert Laird Borden, G. C. M. G., for the Commonwealth of Australia: The Honourable George Foster Pearce, Minister of Defence; for the Dominion of New Zealand: Sir John William Salmond, K. C., Judge of the Supreme for the Union of South Africa: The Right Honourable Arthur James Balfour, O. M., M. P.; for India: The Right Honourable Valingman Sankaranarayana Srinivasa The President of the French Republic: Mr. René Viviani, Deputy, Former President of the Council of Ministers; Mr. Albert Sarraut, Deputy, Minister of the Colonies; Baron Tomosaburo Kato, Minister for the Navy, Junii, a Baron Kijuro Shidehara, His Ambassador Extraordinary and Mr. Masanao Hanihara, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Who, having communicated their Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows: 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. 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 taken, jointly or separately, to meet the exigencies of the particular situation. III This Treaty 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. IV This Treaty shall be ratified as soon as possible in accordance 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 concluded at London on July 13, 1911, shall terminate. The Government of the United States will transmit to all the Signatory Powers a certified copy of the procés-verbal of the deposit of ratifications. The present Treaty, in French and in English, shall remain deposited in the Archives of the Government of the United States, and duly certified copies thereof will be transmitted by that Government to each of the Signatory Powers. In faith whereof the above named Plenipotentiaries have signed. the present Treaty. 57920-26-3 Done at the City of Washington, the thirteenth day of December, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty-One. [L. S.] CHARLES EVANS HUGHES [L. S.] HENRY CABOT LODGE [L. S.] OSCAR W. UNDERWOOD [L. S.] ELIHU ROOT [L. S.] ARTHUR JAMES BALFOUR [L. S.] LEE OF FAREHAM [L. S.] A. C. GEDDES [L. S.] R. L. BORDEN [L. S.] G. F. PEARCE [L. S.] JOHN W. SALMOND [L. S.] ARTHUR JAMES BALFOUR [L. S.] V. S. SRINIVASA SASTRI [L. S.] RENÉ VIVIANI [L. s.] A. SARRAUT [L. S.] JUSSERAND [L. S.] T. KATO [L. S.] K. SHIDEHARA [L. S.] TOKUGAWA IYESATO [L. S.] M. HANIHARA And Whereas the said Treaty has been duly ratified on all parts and the ratifications of the said Governments were deposited with the Government of the United States of America on August 17, 1923; And Whereas the said Treaty was ratified by the United States subject to the reservation and understanding that "The United States understands that under the statement in the preamble and under the terms of this Treaty there is no commitment to armed force, no alliance, no obligation to join in any defense"; Now, therefore, be it known that I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America, have caused the said Treaty to be made public, to the end that the same and every article and clause thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof, subject to the aforesaid understanding and reservation. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done in the City of Washington this twenty-first day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twentythree, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and forty-eighth. [SEAL.] By the President: CHARLES E. HUGHES CALVIN COOLIDGE, Secretary of State. [DECLARATION SIGNED SEPARATELY IN ENGLISH AND IN FRENCH] In signing the Treaty this day between The United States of America, The British Empire, France and Japan, it is declared to be the understanding and intent of the Signatory Powers: 1. That the Treaty shall apply to the Mandated Islands in the Pacific Ocean; provided, however, that the making of the Treaty |