New-York tribune., 1921-12-04
Final Execution of Pro.
gram Awaits Only Its
Formal Approval by
the Cabinet in Toxic
5-5-3 Naval Ratio
Tacitly Accepted
Details of Shantung and
Far East Forts Alone
Remain To Be Settled

By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Dec. The
Anglo-Japanese alliance is to be
superseded by an agreement among
four powers-Great Britain, France,
Japan and the United States-with
regard to the Far East.
Coming on top of important con-
cessions made in China by Japan,
Great Britain and France at to-day's
meeting of the committee on Pacific
and Far Eastern questions, this de-
veiopment assumes tremendous i'm
portance in leading the way to an
entirely satisfactory adjustment of
all controversial questions in the
Western Pacific.
Despite to-day's agreements with
regard to foreign leaseholds in
China, the one big question remain
ing to be solved in a satisfactory
manner by the armament conference
is that of Shantung.
Action Waits on Japan
Every other point is "up to the
last notch of settlement" and inn
mediately on Japan's final action on
this "all the decisions will be dropped
into the basket together" as one Of
the leading figures of the conference
put it to The Tribune's correspon-
dent to-day.
The naval ratio Of 5-5-3 has been ac-
cepted by both the japanese and Brit
ish, only few details regarding re
placements and particular ships re-
naming to be settled, and not one of
these is regarded by Britain, Japan or
the United States as important enough
to permit it even to delay the confer
ence agreement.
All Of the Pacific and Far Eastern
questions are practically solved now
except the one point of fortihcations
in the Far East by Japan and the
United States and of the decision on
Shantung. This information comes to
The Tribune from the very best au-
thority, and one which, incidentally
has never been wrong in any impor-
tant particular UP to this time.
Delicate Situation Met
+ The negotiations leading up to the
quadrilateral agreement or under
standing in the Far East which would
take the place of the Anglo-Japanese
alliance naturally have been of the
most delicate nature. Almost as soon
as the British and Japanese deiega-
4 liza %.I &ok1
discovered-if they had not realized it
before-that this government viewed
the continuance of the alliance as a de-
cidcd stumbling ). oak to satisfactory
understanding in TIE Far East.
The British at once offered counter
arguments. They pointed to the fact
that the treaty had been amended espe-
cially with view to conciliating the
United States by the insertion of the
clause making the alliance inapplicable
with regard to nations with which
Britain had an arbitration treaty. The
technical point was raised that this
country had no arbitration treaty with
Great Britain, but the British pointed
out that in 1914 they sent a memoran-
dun both to Toxic and Washington
stating their understanding of this
clause to be that it included the treaty
between Britain and the United States
popularity known as the Bryan breath
ing spell" treaty. Japan formally ac-
knowledged this memorandum, accept
ing the construction that this treaty
with the United States was recognized
by them, and that therefore the Anglo
Japanese alliance could not operate
against the United States.
u. S. in False Position
Despite all this the United States
government, in it's conversations with
the British and Japanese delegates.
persistently contended that it opposed
this alliance, pointing out among other
things that it resulted in constantly
putting the United States in the posi-
tion of being the only nation which
protested against japanese actions in
the Far East which were distasteful
to this government, although as mat
ter Of fact European nations. includ-
ing Britain, might feel the same OBJ
jections.
The British then urged tina. while it
was their keen desire that the United
States should be included in the al
lance they realized the American op-
position to the idea of alliances, and
therefore would suggest tripartite
agreement which would take in the
three nations and, in way, super
sede the Anglo-Japanese alliance.
This led by degrees to the idea that
the agreements which would grow out
of the conference would be, in effect, an
agreement which might take the place
Of the alliance and determine the ae-
tions and policies of the nations in
volyed in the Far East.
French Interests Recognized
1t was then that France, with her
large interests in the Far East, was in
jected into the situation, and it was
determined that the best course would
be to expand the agreement still fur
ther into quadrilateral arrangement.
OF the five principal allied and AZ
scciated powers which compose the
Armament Limitation Conference, this
leaves only Italy, which has no inter
ests in the Far East, and therefore Is
concerned with the settlement of prob
lens there only with view to preserv-