New-York tribune., 1921-11-25
Peking Delegates Resent
British Position That
Powers Must Control
Railroads and Tariff
More Acceptable
Proposal Forecast
Council Likely to Leave
Details of Program i'm
Far East to Committee
BY Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.-The fn-
tense indignation Of the Chinese against
tho British Interpretation Of the four
principles Of the Root resolution, and
particularly against the British idea
with respect to international pooling
and controlling Of railroad and other
concessions, has reached such pitch
that threats Of the Chinese to walk out
Of the Washington conference, as they
did at Paris, are being heard.
This, it is declared on the highest
authority, is not warranted, as, no mat
ter what feelers may be put out by any
delegation to test tho sentiment Of the
conference, there Is not the slightest
intention on the part of the conference
to do anything which would go outrage
the Chinese as to cause them to walk
out. Attached to this, of course, is al
ways the idea that China must not ex-
pect the other powers to endanger the
whole success of the conference, so far
as limitation of naval armament is
concerned. There is no intention Of
starting a war against Japan, or even
jeopardzing the success Of the confer
ence, in order to right old wrongs Of
China.
Resistance Surprises British
The view Of most of the delegates Of
other powers is that this would do
China very little good anyhow. So far
as the British are concerned there is
intense surprise that the Chinese have
been so vociferous in their objections
to the British Interpretation of the
Root resolution. The truth seems TO
be that willie the British would like
very much to have the Interpretation
they set forth adopted by the confer
ence the publicity given by them to
their Interpretation was very frankly
trial balloon. They expected a re-
action to it from the Chinese naturally,
although they were not prepared for a
threat by the Chinese to quit the con-
ference if this Interpretation should be
upheld.
Now they have been fully acquainted
with the Chinese view, and, they hint,
interpretations which will probably be
more acceptable will be drafted. But
certainly there is no intention on the
part either of the British or any other
delegation to attempt to force some-
thing down the Chinese throats. In par
ticular the American delegation appre-
ciates the sympathy of the people Of
the United States for China, as evil
denced by the popularity of The Shan
tung issue in the peace treaty fight.
1t has become perfectly evident to
virtually every one in the conference,
however, that it will be impossible to
settle all the details of the complicated
Chinese question in any such space of
time as the big men on the various
delegations are willing to give to the
conference. In addition, the work Of
Strengthening out the details, despite
the fact that some of them are of
tremendous Importance, is job for
experts. So, the obvious sentiment to-
decision, is to permit the conference
to adjourn we'll before Christmas, and
leave to a special international COM
mittee the task Of working out the
details of the Chinese problem.
Naval Agreement Near
This plan, of course, is based on
the idea that final agreement on naval
armament limitation is reached. The
work of the experts on naval arma-
ment has been practically concluded
inside all the delegations, and every
nation knows exactly what changes it
wants in the Hughes plan. Every one
is agreed that there will not be
great deal Of difficulty about reaching
this agreement unless some totally un-
expected obstacle intervenes.
The best opinion tonight is that
even the surprising flare up of feeling
between the British and the French
will not interfere with this agreement,
as the British feel very GER
tain now that the French do not in
tend actually to carry any extensive
The four principles laid down by
Mr.. Root comprehend respect for
Chinas sovereignty, independence and
territorial integrity; fullest oppor-
tunity for her to develop and maintain
a stable government; equal oppor-
tunity for the commerce and industry
of all nations throughout China and
no taking advantage of China's present
chaotic condition to secure special
rights or privileges which would
abridgc the rights of the subjects or
citizens of friendly states. The British,
view is that the Root principles accord
with acceptance by China of a financial
CONTINUED on next passl