Great Falls tribune., 1921-12-06
TREATY DRAFT 7
IS BEING MADE
At WASHINGTON
Suggested Alliance In
cludes Japan, France,
England and Y. S.
American Government
Not Disposed to En-
tertain Idea Just Now.

Washington, Dec. 5.-(By the Asso-
ciated Press. THE question OF
three or four-power agreement to re-
place the Anglo Japanese alliance is
demanding increased attention among
the arms delegates while they wait Tor
japan to define her position on the
naval ratio. The latest suggestion
contemplating an entente to include
the United States, Great Britain, ia
nan and France, has developed to the
point where a tentative treaty draft
is under consideration in some quar-
ters.
There are indications that the Jap
anese delegates, and perhaps the BRIT
ish, as wen. are consulting their home
governments on such a proposition at
the same time that they are asking for
further instructions in regard to the
naval ratio.
On the part OF the American gov
ernment, there apparently is no dis
position to entertain an entente pro-
! posaI. Later such suggestion may
J receive consideration, provided 1t IN
cludes no requirements counter to
American public opinion. j.,
Upon high authority it was SAID
that the naval problem as it was re-
ferred to Toxic after the last meeting
of the big three involved no proposal
for q political agreement of any char
acter, but is concerned solely with the
naval and military aspects of the sit
uation.
Nav Establish Policies
Admiral Baron Kato of the jap
anese delegation said. however, that
the naval question involved issues
which are Of far-reaching effect upon
the national and international life of
Japan and on the policies of great
powers for decades to come. and per
said, should be brought to the full
knowledge and consideration of his
government before definite action is
taken.
Meantime the conference outwardly
is concerning itself with questions of
collateral significance. The commit
tee on draft, headed by Elihu Root
held q meeting and debated the prob
lem Of foreign telegraph and radio
facilities in China and virtually decid-
ed to bring in a resolution providing
that as many OF these facilities as ex-
ist without treaty sanction shall have
only a curtained vote hereafter. The
Shantung conversations, proceeding
between the japanese and Chinese un-
der the eye Of American and British
observers, were advanced another step.
The committee of the whole on the
Far East is to meet Wednesday, bring
ing the full membership of the confer
ence together after the recess of four
days. An open session Of the confer
ence itself may be held later in the
week, but no plans for it have been
made.
Are Bound Together
The American idea that naval ques-
tions can be settled Independently of
political issues, apparently is not real
" accepted in all quarters. A Brit
ish spokesman recently declared that
in the British view the naval and Far
Eastern problems were bound up in
the same sheaf and there have been
indications Of a like opinion among
some japanese.
It is considered possible that in the
present period Of waiting the two
threads of negotiations may become
So tangled in the foreign capitals as to
give the American delegation consider
able trouble in separating them when
the discussions are renewed. It would
not surprise some observers if there
should be an attempt to make the final
reply of one or more of the govern
ments conditioned upon political
agreement or one sort or another.
The proposal for four-power en-
tcnte as now advanced, is considered
an outgrowth of the suggestion of Da-
vid Lloyd George that the Washing
ton conference might well consider
merging the Anglo japanese alliance
into an arrangement to which the
United States would be party. The
Chinese have shown an inclination TO
take up that proposal
No Formal Exchange
These hints have never brought the
subject to the point of a formal ex.
change of views, however, nor re-
vealed even the heads Of the foreign
delegations just how far the United
States might be willing to 20 in that
direction Neither will the American
representatives discuss the question
publicly, but they are known to regard
it as fraught with many complicated
possibilities.
In every consideration of possible
treaty or international understanding
to replace the alliance, the American
delegates have kept in mind the pos
sible temper of the senate, should it
be asked to ratify such an agreement.
With the reassembling of the senate
for the new term there were indica-
tiOns that senator's were watching the
trend of the negotiations with growing
interest and that discussion reveal
ing the opinions of some members of
the treaty ratifying body might be pre-
cipitated or the senate floor within a
few days.