Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-12-15
READJUSTMENTS
To Be MADE: IN
ORIGINAL FLEET
ALLOTMENT PLAN
Japan To Retain Her New
BattIeShip MutSu and u,
S, and England Are to Be
Given Additional Ships,
NEW DIFFICULTIES IN
FAR EAST CONFERENCE
American Island of Guam IS
to Be Abandoned As a
Potential Naval Base, Ac-
Cording to Plans,

Washington, Dec. IA (by the AS
sociated Press) Arms conference
delegates have reached an agree
ment on all major issues Of the
naval ratio but are encountering
new difficulties in Far East dis
cussicns.
The American 5-5-3 ratio forms
the basis of the naval settlement,
but there are to be readjustments
in the original American plans to
battleship Mutsu. The United
States and Great Britain will be
given a compensative quota of ad-
ditional ships not determined in
detail. In the Far Eastern nego-
tiations the latest element Of con-
troversy is a request by China for
abrogation of the treaties resulting
from Japan's famous "twenty-one
demands" When the request was
presented to the Far Eastern COM
mittee Of the whole today. the Jap
anese objected and the committee
adjourned.
Prospects Beclouded.
Coming when the Shantung ne
gotiations are at critical stage.
the Chinese abrogation proposal
has somewhat beclouded prospects
OF Far Eastern agreement, but
most delegates remain confident of
an ultimate solution.
Another meeting Of the "big
three" late today advanced the
naval question nearer to a final
and detailed settlement, but left
some minor points still undeter-
mined. In all quarters announce
ment Of a complete accord was re-
garded as only a question of hours.
As an offset to japanese reten-
tion of the Mutsu, the United
States Is to retain the super-dread-
naughts Washington and Colorado
and an equivalent increase in Brit
ish capital ship tonnage is to be
provided. Details of this British
increase constitute the orly point
to be decided.
Pacific Fortifications.
Coupled with the naval agree
ment In the proposed treaty will
be a "status quo" understanding on
Pacific Notifications and naval
bases. exclusive of Hawaii and the
islands off Japan, Australia and
New Zealand coasts. The plans
abandon the American island of
Guam as potential naval base.
Temporarily. the naval question !
is receivi e major attention from
the delegates but there were indi- |
cations today that the increasing |
seriousness of the Far Eastern diff
ferences might soon require the |
principal figures of the conference
to turn their efforts in that direc-
ton.
Chna's request for abrogation of
the "twenty-one demands" treaties
was coupled with suggestion that
the powers also take some definite
step toward abolition of existing
spheres of influence" in the Far
East. There was no decision In the
committee but it was evident to-
night that the Japanese would not
stand alone in opposing the abro-
cation proposal.
Shantung Conversations.
In the Shantung conversations
the point of controversy is the
compensation that China is to give
for Japanese improvements on the
the Kaio-Chow railroad. The Jap
anese have asked for instructions
from Toxic, but subject to favor
able response, offered today to
withdraw from the railroad in the
event of satisfactory compensa-
tion arrangement.
In the view of some Of the Chi
nese delegates, the financial guar
antees desired by Japan amount
to virtual perpetuation of Japanese
control over the road. The sugges-
ton has been made in some quar-
ters that new "big four" COM
posed OF heads of the American,
japanese and Chinese del ,
egations be asked to take the ques- !
ton under advisement.