Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-12-08
"BigThree"
Nearing n g
Agreement
Proposal to Replace Anglo
japanese Alliance Expected
To Be Announced With.
in Few Days.
Await Reply From Toxic
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.


Washington, Dec. 1.-The United
States, Great Britain and Japan are
close TO an agreement on the
stabilization oil peace i'll the Pacific,
which, although neither an alliance
nor an entente, will be accepted by
England and Nippon as satisfac-
tory substitute for the Anglo Jap
inese alliance.
One of the American delegates en-
pressed confidence tonight that It
would be possible to announce with.
in a few days, the character OF the
Plan under negotiation. Acceptance
of the new agreement by the pow
crs having possessions in the Pacific
would be followed by the dissolution
OF the Anglo Japanese alliance, prob
ably announced in joint declaration
by England and Japan.
Basis OF Proposal.
Here is the basis OF the proposed
agreement:
1. Acceptance by the three great
naval powers OF the Hughes proposal
Tor the reduction and limitation OF
navies.
2. Maintenance OF the status qu5
Of naval bases and fortitications in
the western Pacific.
3. Submission of any question OF
the disturbance of the status quo or
other differences in regard to the sit
uat:on in the Pacific to a conference
of the powers participating IN the
agreement, with view to reaching
amicablc settlement by discussion.
Great Britain has accepted the
proposed plan and a reply from
Toxic is now being awaited. 1t VIII
not be submitted formally to the
United States until England and
Japan are ready to endorse it formal
lv, but it has been discussed by Sec
. retary Hughes, Mr.. Baliour and
Baron Kato, and the American dele
gate indicated the scope of an un..
derstanding into which the United
States would be disposed to enter.
Will Include France.
1t is known that the agreement,
if approved by the United States,
Great Britain and Japan. will be
made uuadruple by the inclusion OF
France, which also has possessions
in the Pacific.
Whether the accord will be crl-
bodied in a formal treaty or less
formal agreement or exchange OF
notes is a matter for future deter
rnination. England and Japan have
proposed treaty and President Har-
ding has indicated that there would
be no objection to a treaty ON the
naval reduction agreement.
The principal American stipulation
is that the agreement, in whatever
form cast, should not take the torn
of an alliance or even an entente.
Such departure from traditional poll
icy as would be represented by a
treaty OF alliance would never be
ratified by the senate, it is generally
believed. Hence it is proposed to
avoid committing the parties to the
agreement to any obligation save that
OF conferring with each other on
differences arising in connection with
affairs in the Pacific.
Stand Pat on Hawaii. .
The American delegation is1Willing
to entertain proposals that none OF
the powers should proceed further
with the fortihcation of outlying pos
sessions in the Pacific with the ex-
ception of the Hawaiian Islands. The
United States will not yield the right
to strengthen the fortifications and
enlarge the naval base in the Hawai-
ian archipelago, which is regarded as
a defensive outpost.
Indications are not lacking, how
ever, that the American delegation
would be willing to waive the right
Of creating a naval base at Guam
aud Strengthening the fortihcations
of the Philippines, provided Japan
waived the same rights i'll the case OF
the BONN and other outlying islands
and Great Britain accepted the agree-
ment with regard to Hongkong.
Japan has indicated that the naval
ratio of the Hughes plan would be
accepted If the naval holiday were
TO be applied to the bases and tortiil-
cations in the western Pacific.