New-York tribune., 1921-12-08
New Proposals Call for
Consultation on Far
East Differences ;May Be
Merged in Naval Plan
London and Toxic
Approval Is Sought
Special Treaty Planned
on Yap, but China or
FortificatiOnsJJ Unaffected

WASHINGTON, Dec. (By The
Associated Press) A mutual pledge
not to go to war over disputes in
the Pacific without 3. cooling off
period" Of discussion is the basis of
the new four-power treaty proposed
as substitute for the Anglo-Jap-
anese alliance.
Discussions of the proposal among
the arms delegates have reached
we'll advanced stage, although none
Of the governments concerned-the
United States, Great Britain, Japan
and France-has given its final ap-
proval. A suggestion that the
Anglo-Japanese pact be revoked has
gone to London and Toxic. Possible
controversies over the Pacific islands
alone, exclusive of the Hawaiian
group and Yap, would come under
the provisions Of the new agreement.
zap is to be the subject Of a sepa-
rate treaty, negotiations for. which
are nearing completion, and Hawaii
is to be considered for purposes of
the agreement as part of the Amer
lean mainland.
The problems of China or other por-
tions of the Asiatic mainland are not
to be touched by the proposed treaty,
nor will it contain provisions relating
to Pacific fortifcations or the naval
reduction program. It is possible, how
ever, that all of these questions may
come simultaneously to the point of
decision. BY the American delegates
the project is regarded as establish
ing neither an alliance nor an entente,
but merely as applying to the Pacific
islands the principles of the thirty
odd Bryan peace treaties to which the
United States already is a party. A
public statement setting forth that
position probably will be made in the
near future by Secretary Hughes.
Big Three in Discussion
For the present the authorized
American spokesmen prefer to say
nothing about their conversations on
the subject, which have been proceed
ing entirely behind the curtain of
executive sessions" Apparently the
negotiations SO far have been kept
within very narrow circle, centering
in the "big e"-Hughes, Balfour
and Kato.
An evidence of the optimism with
which American officials who are in on
the secret view the general situation
in the arms conference was gi"er to-
day, however, by President Harding,
who declared in public address that
the negotiations promised to succeed
beyond our fondest hopes" Without
making direct reference to the pro-
posed four-power agreement he pre-
dicted that the Washington conference
would usher in new day in interna-
tional amity.
No Reply From Toxic
All the outward indications point to
a merging Of the Pacific question with
the naval ratio problem, SO far as the
final decisions of some of the foreign
nations are concerned No reply from
Toxic regarding the naval plan now is
expected until the Japanese govern
ment is also ready to make some ex-
preston on the four-power proposal
T. is possible that in the final analy-
sis the questions of Shantungl and
China generally may also become in
terwoven in the general scheme before
a specific and definite settlement OF
any of these elements is reached
Thus it would not surprise close all
servers here if the whole range Of
controversies under consideration were
gathered in the end under one blxfket
understanding, to be translated then
into several formal instruments of
agreement.
Both Japanese and Chinese reflected
optimism over the Shantung negotia-
tions tonight after another meeting.
in which Japan offered to give IN the
public property in the leased territory
OF klaochau, as another step toward
meeting the Chinese position. In the
committee Of the whole of the nine ma
tons resolution was adopted during
tne day pledging respect for C1lina's
neutrality in future wars, and another
restricting the uses of foreign radio
facilities on Chinese soil.
Merger of All Proposals
There is a general feeling that all
of these subjects - the Chinese oues-.
tons, Shantung, the naval ratio and
the new cooling off" treaty-may all
move along coneurrently, so that none
of them reaches definite settlement
until all are ready to be Jumped into
final program of accomplishment.
Although some of those who are
sponsoring the new four-power plan
have gone so far as to prepare q tenta-
tive treaty draft, there are several de-
tails on which the plenipotentiarie
have not yet presented their views in
their informal exchanges. There seems
to. be universal confidence, however,
that details easily can be adjusted
once the principle involved has unani-
nous acceptance
Thus far Great Britain alone of the
| four powers has given an acceptance
| in principle" but her delegates, like
those of Japan, have cabled home for
further instructions before going into
more definitive discussion of treaty
draft. The Japanese and American
delegates are proceeding slowly, appar-
emily taking into account the special
requirements Of their respective gos-
ernmental systems, and the French are
/ said to have taken very little part SO
| far in the conversations. -
The Ameyican delegates. It NJ ssid.
| had felt from the beginning of che .ne-