Great Falls tribune., 1921-11-17

ated Chinese territory, but also tn,
end of restrictions on tariff and tal
laws which are held to be seriousl.
handicapping national development.
Under treaty arrangement with al
the principal powers China now j:
restricted from imposing tariff O
in consequence has suffered shortage
of government funds which her spokes
men declare is likely to result in ma
tional financial calamity. In addition
numerous items Of her tax returns are
pledged for many years to come in
payment Of foreign obligations.
No Definite Statement.
Whether the language of the Chi
,nese proposal is broad enough to
sweep away the xtra-territorial rights
long possessed by foreign powers on
Chinese coil is a question which may
lead to considerable discussion in the
conference. In the view of some,
these rights fall clearly within the
class of Limitations on China's ad-
ministrative freedom" while by others
the words are interpreted as apply
ing only to invocation Of foreign
authority such as that exercised by
Japan along the lines of the railways
1t seems certain that one effect
would be eventually to open up to the
trade of the world the whole wide ex
panse of Chinese territory
The principle under which the Chi
nese expect this change to be accom-
plished is that reaffirming the open
door" policy and declaring Chinas
readiness to apply it in all parts of
the Chinese republic without excep-
ton"
The policy of political integrity for
China is one to which all the powers
have subscribed in principle and its re
affirmation at the head of the Chinese
plan was given no particular sig
nificance except as another vehicle by
which the cases of Shantuns and Man
churia could be brought before the
conference. That China proposes also
to guarantee that no more Of her ter
ritory be alienatcd in the future was
taken to mean that she desired to be
definitely bound by treaty in such
way that should future land grabbing"
be attempted she could point to this
commitment with the great powers as
an insurmountable barrier
Bring Up Old Deal
An historic background of unusual
interest gives significance to the ap-
paren:ly perfunctory suggestion in the
Chinese plan that "China's rights as
neutral are to be fully respected in
future wars to : which she is not q
party" During the Russo Japanese
war, the japanese navy pursued into
Chinese inland waterways the Russian
warships that had taken refuge there
and before the incident was closed, the
Ieking government found Manchuria
largely under Japanese control. Simi-
larly China made formal protest that
her neutrality was invaded by the mill
tary operations incident to the jap
anese capture of Sbantung.
What theory is behind the sugges-
tion for future continuing conferences
for powers to consider the far eastern
situation has not been revealed by the
Chinese group, but it was indicated to-
night that the Chinese delegates might
be seeking by this method to throw be-
hind their government the moral sup
port and encouragement her states
men have always sought from the
stronger nations. To thus publicly
demonstrate the sympathetic interest Of
the dominating group Of powers, it was
pointed out, might have a heartening
effect on the Chinese people and might
even move them to composition of
their internal differences and
strengthening of national pride and
purpose.
Such Strengthening, indeed. il re-
garded by many of those who sit in
the armament conference as the elr-
ment most to be desired to give sta
bility to the whole far eastern situa-
tion