The New York herald., 1921-12-10

4 Ao u n n n ~
new Pacific agreement which the
Japanese Government has approved
IN advance OF its acceptance OF the
naval ratio formula run pretty close
together. They coincide 10 the ex
tent that the agreement relating to
the Pacific will be brief and in the
nature of an understanding free from
the objections raised against the
League of Nations covenant.
The draft OF the new plan for Pa.
cific security. which is now receiving
revision at the hands Of the American
delegates. is in the nature OF declara-
ton that an agreement TO respect the
rights of all nations having posses
sions in those waters Is necessary to
the peace OF the world.
The four Powers therefore pledge
themselves to respect the territorial
rights OF one another in the Pacihc,
hut do not guarantee military CO.
operation as proposed under Article y.
Of the League Of Nations.
Another feature OF the new agree
ment is that the signatory nations
agree not to attack one another until
a conference OF the others has been
held to try to adjust the differences by
arbitration.
Like Bryan Treaties.
This provision is somewhat like that
proposed in the cooling off" treaties
negotiated by William J. Bryan when
Secretary of State in 1914. Another
provision Of the Balfour agreement is
that three of the slgnatories shall ten
der their good offices to adjust dis
putes between a member of the En-
tente and any outside Power.
Speculation as to the relation be-
tween the Hughes limitation of arrna-
nents plan and the new Pacific ar
rangement was set at rest tonight
by the statement of Baron kato OF
the japanese legation, who said that
his Government had considered the
naval plan by itself. This statement
was concurred in by member OF
the American delegation. So it is
highly improbable the naval agree
nent will figure i'll the quadruple ar
rangement.
The Japanese spokesman admitted
that the decision of his Government
on the naval matter was on its way
from Toxic and that q part of 1t had
actually been received. He would not
indicate the character of 1t, but dele
gates still believe that the Japanese
Government will accept the Hughes
formula for the Limitation of capital
ships.
Couldn't Keep Secret.
The British and Japanese repre-
scntatives did not attempt to conceal
their satisfaction over the trend of
events during the last week. So con-
tident were they that the United
States would accept the four Power
plan for maintaining peace in the
i,-ci1g thot te-r acted like small
boys with Chy'stmas secret. They
Sz.r eouiant kaep it. The result was
gAa. When they had reason to be-
heta tho deal 1vould be contaminated
lle -sact oevssoped in corridor con-
yers4..S.4 --.- found immediate cir
culation among the newspaper corre-
spondents.
officials Of this Government and its
delegates in the conference declined
10 discuss the matter in any way and
thereby drew down on their innocent
heads Congressional charges OF "se-
cret diplomacy"
The American delegates made no
answer to these criticisms beyond re-
peating their statements that they
would not venture into any definite
arrangement in the nature Of foreign
alliances without taking council with
the leaders of Congress and communi-
eating their purposes to the people
OF the country.
One OF the American delegates de-
ciared this afternoon that the atti-
tude OF the delegation Is precisely the
same as it has been from the start of
the conference. He said he did not
believe 1t wise to discuss the exchange
uf preliminaries to any arrangement
before there was something definite
TO talk about.
DeIeEation's Position.
THE delegation takes the position. IS
he says, "that 1t must respect the con-
fidences of the representatives of other
nations even though 1t enjoys free
dom in making known It's own at
titude on specific propositions. You
viii know as COON as l know about
these specific undertakings. Nothing
is going to be done to evade or escape
responsibility without consulting all
persons entitled to receive information
of our plans and purposes. The public
will be informed as soon as definite
stages are reached. That may come
very soon. II may be only matter
Of hours before a definite announce
ment OF one or more features of the
conference can be made"
He declined TO discuss the origin
of published reports regarding the
form or substance OF any agreements
reached regarding Far Eastern and
Pacific matters. He refused to COM
inent on statements attribIting the
course of such reports to British and
Japanese authorities, merely saying
the delegates of this country did not