Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-01
JAPAN IS ODDURATE,,
INSISTS ON NAVAL
RATIO INCREASE
Wont Withdraw Troops From
shantung, Conference Diplo-
matte ally Informed.
MANY OBSTACLES ARISE

t.rday whhh may considerably delay
its progress and postpone Its conclu-
sion. The rather unfavorable develop
m.nts Of the last twcnty-four hours
may ho listed. according To their pos
slhlc influence on the results OF the
conference. as follows;
4 The Chinese insistencc upon
bringing the question Of Shantung be-
fore the conference. which resulted In
an effort 90 effect a direct settlement
hotwccn Japan and China under the
good offices of the British and Ameri-
can soNornmcnts The failure of these
direct negotiations. into which the
chinese and Japanese enter with
strongly opposed contenuons. would
place the conference before a diplo-
matic situation of danger.
2 The Japanese refusal To withdraw
their troops from Manchuria as de-
minded hy the Chinese. coupled with
thulr refusal 20 take the japanese
pollrn out ~ china.
a 4 removed attempt by the Japa-
urse 10 break down the five-five-three
tatln proposed by the American dele
tatlnn az the measure of the relative
ttrnnuth of the navieH ~ Great Britain,
Amerlrn and Japan.
rho evident determination Of the
tlenrh lo nnht Tor a submarine al
lnWnn,o equivalent to that of Britain
and America, which viii meet with the
uinuHlilnn nf the lirliish.
uepltltinn. in the circumstances.
nnm utliish sources of the claims that
iapan has fnr continuation OF the
Anuln.iannnvHe Alliance.
rhp issue of Shantung is listed as
ln nn nrst n importance %. these i've
naInta because this issue Affects not
onIN the relations of China and Japan
and uf iapan and America, hut because
nlnn " holds the eva potentially of
bringing before the conference the
Noraauloa Treaty and the relative po-
slunn of the United States and the
allied nations with respect 60 the va
ldll, ol that document
thlna Forces Shantung Issue.
A. hecamc known before the meeting
nf the Far Eastern Committee yes
to-day that the Chinese delegation
under pressure from Rome, would in
alat ON tho consideration of the shan
iung situation hy the conference un
der No 4 Of the Chinese demands
which provides that claims under al
Logged existing commitments should b'
reviewed for the purpose OF determin
ng their stability. \ majority of tn
nine nations Gid not wish the Shantunl
laaue to be posed. IL contains the ele
monta of iduch trouble. II might wei
place the statesmen Of England. Franc
aud Italy before the dilemma of hav
ing 90 side against the United State
and china or else 10 take n position
which might be construed as. a re
nunicatlon of provisions Of the Yer
aaillcS Treaty, upon which Japa
places her claim 90 her rights in Shap
tung. 10 can readily be seen that th
Allies, especially France. have no dc
sire % say that the treaty does no
mean what n says. for that would b
music IN German ears.
Following advice which could scarce
IA he refused, the Chinese delegatio
agreed 90 meet the japanese directl
under the auspices Of Secretar
Hughes. representing the America
Government. and Arthur Balfour, fo
the British Government. These tw
win bring together the Japanese an
chinese delegations tomorrow Tor IN
beginning OF the negotiations. lt
pruhsbl. that throughout the direS
conversations representatives OF III
American and British Government
win hc present as observers.
Tho Chinese show no elation owe
the prospect of the direct negotiation
Tho Chinese people, apparently, di
not wish the matter handled in tn;
way. one heard today expressions
the eject that tho Chinese could sta
direct negotiations with the Japanes
az any time. with or without a Wasl
ington conference.
N~ttcr Auspices for Negotiations.
However. this attitude is not entir'
IA fair. for there Is a great deal of di
terence between direct negotiations
the two countries I'm Pekins or Tok
and direct negotiations in Washing
ton. with observers for the British al