The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-09
SKIES BRIGHTER
FOR DELEGATES
FROM FAR EAST
Chinese Get Best Break
Yet in Course of
Conference.

action that took advantage of China's
plight.
II that be the spirit; discuShlon of
the specific question presented in par
agraph l of the Root resolution"
might be taken Up. 1t had been agreed
to respect the integrity and sovereign
ty OF China and this naturally i'm
piled agreement by China to respect
the integrity OF other powers. Each
power should be free to make the
agreements necessary for the pres
erVation of its proper interests; any
general proposition going so far as
to derogate or limit the right to
make agreements relative to funda-
mental, legitimate interests. would
be one not easily defended.
Mr.. Hughes then observed that
there might be treaties affecting
CHINA not adverse to China, but 1t
could be said that there would be
no secret engagements. Mr.. Balfour
had quite properly said that the other
governments represented were bound
not to make such engagements and
that the government of the United
states could not. More than that
could be done, however; there could
De recorded an expression of de-
sire to be helpful to China in the
Preservation of the legitimate field
OF her administrative autonomy and
reassertion. in connection with par
agraph ! of the Root resolution"
or the determination to do nothing
In derogation of the sovereignty, in
dependence and territorial and sd-
ministrative integrity OF China.
Therefore. IL there were embodied
in the resolution. relating to
treaties. principles underlying the
Chinese proposal and an expression
| of the intention to do nothing in
derogation Of these principles. and
to make no treaties or engagements
In derogation of the sovereignty and
administrative integrity of China,
all that China desired would be at
tanned without the committee being
led into discussion of the theoreti-
cal freedom of the treaty-makins
power.
The chairman, therefore. sug-
Rested that the Chinese delegation
advance some qualification of their
proposal which would permit the
matter to be discussed in that sense
Indorses Balfour's Views.
Mr.. Hanihara said that he had
very little to add to what Mr.. Bal
four had so ably stated. He only
desired to make the point of view
lof the Japanese delegation clear by
spying a few words. The japanese
delegation believed that the SOW
leign nations had the right of con.
Icluding any treaty or agreement be.
tween themselves. At the sam,
time. with the growing influence OF
public opinion and of international
law, II was daily becoming eviden,
that. should a treaty or agreement
prove prejudicial toy the peace Of
the world or violative of the rights
of third powers, IL was bound to fal
by itself under strong pressure OF
popular condemnation, if not on &C.
count of action taken against 1t By
aggrieved parties, either through
direct diplomatic representation oil
through the fundamentally of thu
league of nations, OF which Chins
was member. But an engagement
by the powers under the formuls
now proposed by China would oper.
ate as a serious Limitation upor
their sovereign right, and. in tn,
opinion of the japanese delegation
it Nas neither necessary nor desir
able.
Sir Auckland Geddes. as mean!
OF surmounting the difficulty. ven
tured to suggest a resolution. After
recalling the terms of the four reso
lutions adopted by the committe,
on November 81, he suggested tina
to these should be added a fifth. a.
follows:
ITO enter into no treaty. agree
ment. advancement or understand
ing. either with one another or in
dividuaHy or collectively. with an,
other power or powers which wouI'
infringe or impair the principle
which they have herein declared"
Mr.. Balfour said he thought it wa
worth while for. him to state. il
order that it might appear on tn,
records of the committee. that OF
October 81. 1921. the parliamentar,
undersecretary of the foreign offic
had made the following declaration
in the house of commons:
THE policy of spheres of infu
ence in China has been supersede,
by one of international cooperation
and the farther development of thi
policy will no doubt form one o
the subjects of discussion at Wash
ington."
In relation to the formula DRAFTED
by Sir Auckland Geddes. Mr.. HAM
hara stated in substance that h.