New-York tribune., 1920-12-13
Avert Break
Over German
Cable Control
Delegates Smooth Out
Differences Threatening
International Confer
ence; Settlement Near

WASHINGTON, Dec. IL (By The AS
sociated Press ID fferences over dis
position of the former German cables,
which have threatened to break up the
international communications confer
ence in session here, were temporarily
smoothed over to-day at plenary ses-
sion held at the State Department
Negotiations between the five Allied
and associated powers represented in
the conference will be continued.
The basis for prospects Of agreement
by the delegates to the conference was
not fully disclosed and it only became
known that the threatened disruption
had been averted through cancellation
of railroad ant. steamship reservations
by the foreign delegates, who had
planned to leave Washington for New
York and San Francisco tonight to
take their departure home. Another
plenary session will be held tomorrow
in the effort TO reach a settlement Of
the points at issue.
Conference Halts Immediate Action
The visit Of Acting Secretary of State
Davis to the Capitol last week, when a
break seemed imminent in the rego~
tiations, to confer with the Senate For
eign Relations Committee and the as
sulances Of support that Secretary
Davis received from the committee for
tJ,o bc
missioncrs to the conference arc be
lieved to have had the effect Of re-
straining any prec pitate action ON the
part of the foreign delegations.
While no immediate end to The ne
gotiatons is yet in sight, plenary ses-
sions Of the conference held last night
and to-day are understood to have de-
veloped at least better understanding
and an agreement that g solution of the
difficulties surrounding the equitable
disposition of the cables should be at
further before adjournment
was taken.
The results Of these latest confer
ences meanwhile viii. be transmitted by
the foreign delegations to their gov
covering the most veXatious questions
which have arisen. The chancelloles
of Great Britain, France, Italy and
Japan are understood to have become
concerned over failure to reach an ami
cable agreement as to disposition of
the cables, and the active part which
the foreign Offices of the four govern
ments is expected to take in the nego-
tiations, it is believed, will give the
needed impetus to the solution Of the
embarrassing international problems
which have arisen.
Obstacles Blocking Agreement
The outstanding difficulties in the
to be the refusal Of the Japanese to
concede the principle of equality of all
nations in cable landing rights on the
island of Yap, one of the most impor-
tant centers of cable communication in
the Pacific, and the refusal of the
Fren~h to make concessions to the
United S and Ital. Of the German
transatlantic cAhle seized by the
French in 1914 and diverted from
Emden, GrTAany to Brest. France.
The United States. together with
Or It Britain nd Italy, have argued
for the Observation-Disclosures of all
islands like Yap which are centers of
cable communication and upon which
Ca Il commu. ications of more than one
nation are dependent. Japan is under
stood to have contended tnat the
island of Yap was awarded Ter with
out restriction by the mand tie given
her by the Paris peace conference over
all former German islands ~orth of
the equator and that the establishment
of even the principle of equal cable
landing rights at Y.p would be con-
trary to Japanese law.
The United States and Italy have
asked for the former German trans
Atlantic cable now in possession of the
French in order that it might be re-
laid between New York and Genoa,
Italy, and afford q direct means OF
cable communication between the two
countries. They have supported their
claim for this cable with the contention
that while neither Italy nor the United
States obtained any Of the German
cables France now mas in her possess
sion not only the trans Atlantic line,
but also severaI of the former German
systems skirting the African coast