The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-04
NEGOTIATION ON
 NAVAL QUESTIONS
 NOW AWAITS TOKYO
tContinued from Page One)

understanding" or Compromises" might be in contemplation.
 In the far eastern negotiations, on the other hand, the developments centering about the Chinese leases were of so pronounced a character as to be regarded generally as ranking among the most important of the whole conference The British, Japa- nese and French, in turn, expressed their willingness to give up certain of their holdings in China, and all though definite undertakings are yet to be formulated, the move was ac- cepted by the friends of China as promising a substantial modificatioa T of the principle of spheres of influ- ence"
 The much discussed Shantung lease was among those Japan offered to abandon as soon as China makes sat isfactory policing arrangements; but at the same time the conference was reminded that the whole Shantung problem was under consideration In direct negotiations here between China and Japan.
 Manchurfan Lease
 A willingness to discuss the South Manchurian lease also was evidenced by the Japanese, although they in- sisted that Japans treaty rights in that section must be preserved to her.
 Tonight the conference and all it's subdivisions, after three weeks of continuous work, went into recess until next Wednesday. Many of the delegates, it was said, had important personal affairs pressing for atten- tion, and most of them wanted to be present Monday and Tuesday at the opening of the new session of Congress. The interim also will per init the Japanese to advise them solves fully as to the attitude of Tokio, and will make 1t possible for Arthur J. Balfour and other mem bers of the British delegation to full fill a series of engagements in New York.
 In all the major delegations con- fidence apparently was increasing to- night that the response from Tokio would be favorable, and that a more definite basis of negotiation would develop soon after the reassembling of the delegates next week. The members of the conference have no thought that a final agreement will be possible in the immediate future, however, because many details re- main to be determined.
 Anglo-Japanese Alliance
 Of growing prominence among the side issues of the naval problem IS the AnRlo-Japanese alliance. That is a subject which the British, Japa- nese and Americans all refer to euardedIy, but there have been many hints that both Great Britain and Japan would prefer to have the United States a party to any contin- unance of the treaty or even would willing to make a new agreement by which the three would unite to pre- serve peace in the far east
 The crux of the whole question
 lies in the fact that the Ameri-
 cnn delegation Is totally opposed
 to entering any such arrange
 ment if 1t is to be regarded as
 in any sense an alliance, and that
 Japan, on the other hand, is rec
 Iuctant to substitute for the Am
 Glo-Japanese treaty any agree
 ment whose terms would seek to
 leave her in a weaker situation
 than before. system of arbt-
 traitor treaties has been sug-
 gested, but there Is nc authOrf-
 tative information as to how
 nearly satisfactory that solution
 might be to either the United
 States Japan.
 It is taken for granted that should A regional agreement or set of cross treaties grow out of the negotia- tions, France would be Included be- cause of her large interests in the far east.
 Pacific Questions
 All of these considerations are re earded by Japan as integral parts of her problem of national security and in consequence it Is considered possible that when a final agreement as to naval ratio is reached there will be bound up with it decision as to some of the most important DO HticaI questions of ths Pacific and the Orient.
 The maintenance of Qualifications and naval bases in the Pacific islands is another factor of increasing ln- terest to Japan, as the naval ratio discussion advances. It now Is be- lieved probable that some agreement as to bases will accompany the ratio solution, although in the physical ar rangement of the final work or the conference the two may not De ln- cluded in the same "understanoing or treaty. Any treaty arrangement for limitation of Pacific fortifica- tions. 1t is said in the American del- egation, would logically be a part or a treaty fixing the status Of the man dated island of Tap, now the SUD- feet of independent negotiations.