News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1921-12-28
HARDiNG'S STAND
ON PACIFIC PACT
President Says Differences win
Not Be Allowed to Enlharrass
Conference or Ratification.
C0MSULTS WITH DELEGATES
Opinion That Treaty Does Not Cover
All Japan Was Expressed to
Newspaper Group-Caused
Great Surpri-e.

Washington.-No little CONSERVATION
was caused by the announcement from
the White House that President Hard
ing construed the terms of the four~
power treaty among Great Britain,
America, France and Japan as not IN
Guiding in its terms the Stands which
form Japan proper
Following the publication of the fact
that during the negotiations, held in
ecret, It had been agl eed by ii of the
delegations tLat the I easures of pro-
lection for "inSuIar posse ,Sions and
insular dominons' provided in the
compact applied to the islands of Ja-
pan proper, t had been United by
Spokesman for all four delegations that
this was the case. The announcement
from the White House caused surprise
because it looked as if the President
were weakening the position of the
american delegation.
But the White House issued another
statement saying that, although the
President lad expressed earlier in the
day the opinion that the islands of ia
pan proper were not included in the
provisions of the treaty, he had learn
ed from the American delegates that
they had accepted he construction
that Japan was thus included and thar
lie had no objection t. hat construc,
ton" 1t is apparent that the Presir
dent and Secretary Hughes, the chair
man of the American delegation, had
a conference between the times of the
two statements.
1t is difficult to exaggerate the i'm
preston caused by the White House
announcement. 1t was at the regu-
lar bi-weekly conference with the
newspaper men that the President. :,
response to written question as
whether or not the treaty provisions
applied to the main islands of Japan
made it known that he did not take
that view, holding that the provisions
of the treaty no more applied to the
islands constituting Japan proper than
they applied to the mainland of the
United States.
1t was his opinion that the treaty ap-
piled to the dependent islands of the
four powers, and that the islands
which formed Japan proper were the
domain of one of the parties to the
treaty and not dependent islands
All other subjects of discussion
about the conference immediately fell
into the shade. The question was
asked, had the President, following
the Senate opposition to the treaty OH
the ground th"t l. Looked N'&c a guar
antee to Ja@HA cH.:Sr,, a shift of the
American govc"nHcnt'; attitude or, as
seemed mo:e probable, had there been
a reconsideration of the terms of the
treaty and had it been agreed by
the four powers that it did not in
clude Japan proper?
a canvas was made of the deleca-
tions, but no substantiaton could be
found for the theory that there had
been a reconsideration. In fact, it was
fatty denied. A direct question to the
British delegation as to whether there
had been a change on the part of the
diplomats brought negative answer,
A question as t. whether or not the
treaty applied to Japan proper brought
IN affirmative answer.
An effort was made T. learn from
Secretary Hughes what had happened
out the Secretary of State would not
discuss what had come from the White
House.
1t was recalled thai during the ne
yotiations there had been considerable
discussion as tC whether the terms
included Japan proper After the Brit
sh had presented the view t, at Japan
vas included, it was also recalled
here had been general agreement
hat this was true. although the Japan
Sc had not pressed for that conStruc-
ion themselves. An official of the
American delegation had SO often re-
'eated that Japan proper was included
hat some peevishnesS has been shown
t a repetition of the question.