The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Upsets Proposal for 0bliga-
tion Against Expansion
in Next Two Years.
GREAT BRITAIN FOR PLAN
To Obtain Unanimity Council
is Asked to Recommend
the Principle.
By LAURENCE HILLS.

Special Cable to THE NEw YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1920, BY THE NEW YonK HERALD.
GENEVA, Dec. 11.-Japan. by implica-
ton. to-day used the United States
naval programme as the reason why
she could not consent to the sugges-
tions made by the Disarmaments COM
mission here. which would have asked
the Governments to bind themselves
to no increase in the present military
expenditures in the next two years.
The incident to-day furnished one or
the few occasions when Japan has
lifted her decisive voice, but in this
case 1t was both decisive and impress
sive in indicating that she had no in
tention of changing her present pro-
gramrne, which calls for increases
rather than decreases. and that ap-
parently underlying this programme
are her relations with the United
States.
This action Of Japan to-day. where
by she allied herself. against her ally.
Great Britain, furnished the leading
incident in interest over the other
Far Eastern question which arose this
evening in connection with China's at
tempt to get in the league council,
behind which move lies the Shantung
question. In this China was only
partly successful. while Japan plainly
scored.
Norwegian Proposal.
by Mr.. Lange of Norway. 1t grew out
Of long discussion here this evening
and was supposed 10 represent the best
compromise possible In matter I'M
which little progress has been made herf
The resolution asked the council to pr
pose to the Governments that In fixhg
their next two years budgets they as
sumo the obligation" not TO surpas the
present ones for armaments.
England favored this. but vBcount
Iahii Immediately made IL plain .hat he
could not consent 80 long as there are
certain Powers outside the league who
ore not bound by the conditions imposed
upon its members" Japan. he added,
was increasing her armaments in ac-
cordance with the already fixed pro-
gramme. and would have to increase
next year and possibly thereafter. Japan
alone took this attitude, which made 1t
more significant
To obtain unanimity the resolution
then was changed whereby the council
was asked merely to recommend such
q principle to the States
China's fight to get into the league
council began when Or. Koo got the
subcommittee to agree that one of the
council members to be elected here
would be non-European and non-
American. which was almost the same |
as saying China. He got this adopted |
yesterday in full committee by a ma
jority vote of one, fourteen nations alb |
staining from voting because Of COM
mittee ruling that It was a question of |
procedure that did not require unan- |
unity.
Ishirs Interview Explained.
The Japanese are believed to have been |
working hard to defeat the Chinese and !
explains viscount Ishil's interview on |
present Chinese incapacity. which drew |
a reply from DR.. Koo. Another factor |
entered into the fight to-day when a
resolution was presented to the assembly |
tain their places on tho council of the |
league. while Greece's place was to be |
filled by a Scandinavian or other Euro |
pean nation.
1t is a nice scramble OF Europeans
with China trying to take advantage or
IL. Czecho-Slovakia and Sweden both
were opposed to Dr. Koos proposition
tonight, as also was Arthur J. Balfour.
who had been outvoted In committee.
t,I 4. lt.I |
the covenant and not n question OF pro-
cedure, and that there being nobody able
TO interpret Article w. II must 60 to the
amendments nd interim commission.
Cuba, among other nations, protested
that this meant giving control to the big
Powers
Mr.. Balfour and DR.. Koo finally COM
promised on a resolution recommending
that the assembly. when II votes next
week, elect one member OF the council
from Asia. This means that the Sino-
Japanese fight will go on until the cleo
flon Ia decided.
The big Powers which are in control
of this meeting having put over in COM
mittees their programme Of postponing
decisions here on all questions vital to
their interests IN which the league might
bother itself. are now preparing to wind
up this session as quickly as possible.
All predictions made at the beginning OF
the meeting that there would be little OF
real accomplishment here save the sub
mission Of the emasculated court pro jcct
are rapidly being realized
Apologists for the league attribute this
principally to the nonparticipation OF the
United States and 10 the fact that the 4
league has not yet got tho necessary
working machinery. and that. II II had
important decisions might have bean
made. But the more impartial observers
ascribe II to an absolutely unworkable
covenant and TO the control which the
covenant permits Great Britain AMI
France to exercise here. which under the
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