Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-08-05
6PACIFIC ISSUES
TODECIDE MEET
Success OF Disarmament
Meeting Depends irst
On These
BY HARRY HUNT

81, failure of the disarmament confer
orca in Washington this fall depends
rrimarily on a satisfactory adjust
mont of half a dozen "Far East Prob
lens"
Only with these major issues annie
obIv adjusted, would the irritants
tbat might ultimately lead to clash
n arms be removed. And then only
oonId the nations involved agree to
y considerable reduction of arma-
~on+s-at least a cessation of build
inc new armaments-without feel
inc that safety was being jeopardlz-
ed.
These problems are:
Mandates under the League of
Nations. particularly that of zap.
2, Shantung.
g. The Open Door IN CHINA.
The territorial integrity OF
China,
5, The territorial integrity of
Asiatic Russia.
6. Communications.
Once an agreement on these is
reached. the matter of getting to-
gpfber on cutting down the size of
armies and navies will be easy. But
This first necessary agreement, offiA
cials recognize, will not be easy.
That. rather than any actual di-
armament compact, will be the big
sIpn toward peace, if it is achieved.
u. S. Protest.
Van and Shantung, Japan has III
jicatcd, she holds to have been dis
posed Of by the Treaty of Versailles.
The United States, however. on
the basis that she, as one zef the
principal allied and associated pow
ers, even though not member of
the League of Nations, was entitled
to a voice in the distribution OF the
former German islands in the IA
cific. has protested the granting oil
special rights in zap to Japan. Be
cause of Yap's Importance as a Pa
cific cable center, this country has
insisted that it be internationalized
and equal right in that peninsula.
The unbiased view, however, has
been that any dispute over sover-
eighty in Shantung should be the
matter of negotiation between China
and Japan.
There is indicated a considerable
desire in several quarters that the
zap and Shantung question be elml-
mated in advance of the Washington
conference. That, it is recognized,
would greatly simplify questions be-
&c the conference. This govern
nent will not, however, concede that
the Treaty of Versailles-in the alb
sence of any acquiesence by this
country-could dispose of zap. The
case has been stated so plainly that
Japan has no illusions as 10 Inc
basis on which our claims stand, and
the vigor with which they will be
presented.
Cnina's Stand.
As to Shantung, Japan has con-
tended tla, title to the former Ger
man rights in that province was
legally vested in her and cannot be
disturbed so long as the Versailles
Treaty remains international law.
China, on the other hand, contends
that her declaration of war against
Germany restored to China all rights
previously granted Germany. That
being SO, she claims, there were no
German rights in China to be dis
posed of at the Versailles conference
China refused to sign the treaty be
cause of the Shantung provision.
The Open Door in China, and
China's territorial integrity, are, of
course, old questions. They are the
ones in which the real craftsmanship
Of the members of the conference
may best be displayed. On them de-
ponds whether China is to become an
independent nation, or whether the
special interests which virtually rem
der China impotent and helpless are
to continue their hold. In this is
involved the abolition of all extra
territorial jurisdiction, the control of
maritime customs by the British, the
French control of the Chinese post
office and the Lansing-Ishii agree
ment recognizing Japan's special