Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1921-07-30
PROMPT ACTION
URGED ON JAPS
Accept Farley Invitation, Then
Talk Preliminary Meeting, Is
Request of United States.
OUTLINES IN HUGHES NOTE
Makes It Plain to Japan That America
Does Not Desire to Fix Hard and
Fast List of Subjects for
Conference

ashington.-Accept President Har-
ding's invitation to the armament and
Far Eastern conference first, and talk
preliminary conference afterwards.
This is burden Of note addressed
to Japan by Secretary of State Hughes,
it was announced officially. The COM
munication was in reply to Japanese
inquiries as to the scope of the forth
coming conference, and made 1t plain
that this government has no intention
of forcing any particular program upon
any nation. At the same time Secre-
tary Hughes is understood to have
emphasized the point that the likeli-
hood of successful conference would
be enhanced, were no hard and fast
program to be laid down beforehand.
Coincidentally with the announce
ment that such q note has been sent
to Japan, government officials let 1t
be known that there are no objections
to a preliminary conference in Wash
ington after all of the invited powers
have agreed to discuss the two plain
propositions of the Presidents invita-
ton. In other words, they must SUBJ
scribe to this governments contention
that disarmament and the Far Eastern
question are so closely related that
they are inseparable.
1t Is believed here now that Great
Britain is committed to preliminary
conference Of her own" AS other
wise stated, it is believed that during
the present and closing week of the
imperial conference at London on the
defense of the realm, Lloyd George
will ascertain the premiers point of
view with reference to the Washington
meeting. Thus If the premiers are I'M
able to attend the opening sessions,
Lloyd George will be in a position to
speak for them.
1t was pointed out here that Lloyd
George would not be disappointed very
much If the dominion premiers were
unable to attend the conference at all.
There are reasons for believing also
that he is displeased with the rather
frank references to the Anglo-Japanese
treaty, and Americas relation to that
pact, by Premier Hughes of Australia.
On the face of the note sent to
Toxic, 1t is expected that Japan now
will agree to enter the conference on
the same basis as the other invited
nations. When she has done so, she
with Great Britain then will be in
position to advocate preliminary dis
cussion. Such a meeting, provided it
were conducted in Washington, would
be natural preliminary to the larger
undertaking, officials pointed out to-
day, and therefore would not be op-
posed by this government.
Should the preliminary or program
making meeting materialize, Japan
may, If she chooses, raise the question
that Siberia, Shantung and zap shall
not come within the category of Far
Eastern" questions, on the ground that
they challenge her sovereignty" ia
pan, it Is realized, maintains that it is
for her alone to discuss Siberia with
the new Russia republic of Chita,
Shantung with Germany and China,
and zap with the United States, but
the powers that gave" her the island
The most important Of these con-
tentions, as they concern the United
States, are Siberia and Shantung.
France and Italy already have taken
sides with the United States against
Japan as regards zap.
AS to Shantung, the United States
will insist that the question is debata-
BILE under the broad proposition that
Chinas territorial integrity must be
preserved without any reference what
ever to the treaty of Versailles or
other acts of the Allies.
| In the case of Siberia, the United
States Is ready to give ample proof
that the question does not concern ia
pans sovereignty in any way. Japan
may protest and enter reservations,
but present indications are that the
| sense of the conference will be eX-