Daily Kennebec journal., 1921-12-28
SMALL HOPE
(Continued- from Pace One

icaH plan -.s
The negotiations over Shantung
| also took on more serious aspect
| during the day when the japanese,
after the receipt of fresh instructions
from Toxic, let. it be known that
they were not prepared to make any
/ further concessions in their ex-
changes with the Chinese over re-
! turn of the Tsingtao- -Tsinanfu rail-
road. The Chinese already have de-
clared they can so no further toward
compromise. but in some confer
1 ence circles there still is hope that
4 the two groups may be brought to-
/ gethcr
4 Meantime the new four power Pa
cific treaty. already signed by the
United States, Great Britain, France
and Japan got back into conference
discussions through a suggestion
| from japanese quarters that the four
powers agree not to apply the terms
of the pact to the principal islands
in the japanese Empire. In view of
| differences of view developing in the
| United States and Japan as to the
meaning of the treaty, the japanese
were said to be considering the sV.g
gestion of such an interpretative
agreement.
An Interpretation not applying the
treaty to the major Japanese islands
would be reversal of tho understand
ing said to have existed among the
1 delegations when the treaty was
| signed 1t would be adverse also to
4 /,
| American delegation, but in harmony
! with that voiced by President Harding
| Should, the TOXIC government decide
! formally to suggest such an agree
ment. the move might precipitate an
intricate situation in the conference.
Another suggestion involving inter-
esting political considerations cam =
! during the day from French circles
It was a hint, advanced informally
| while the delegation waited for news
+. of the decisions of the cabinet in
| Paris, that France might be willing
| to agree to a status quo limitation "f
| submarine strength if the other pow
ers would join with her in n trcaty
designed to preserve peace i'll Euro
| pean waters.
/ AS tentatively outlined, such A trea
/ ty would be similar in purpose TO that
/ just concluded to cover the pact. and
would have as it's signatories France,
Great Britain. Italy and Germany.
should they desire to do so. it was
. said. the United States and Japan
! might also participate in the agree
ment, although the inclusion of the
in n -
many expressly, would be considered
indispensable.
While all of these informal sug-
| gestions were occupying the attention
| of many of the delegates during the
! recess of the naval committee. several
| of the conference sub-committt es holG
meetings to discuss collateral isscNs.
! The @ub,committee revising Chinese
| tariff rranTements seemed near ar
| agreement which would increase Chi
| nose revenues, and the Subcommittee
on aircraft drew up tentative doe a.
ration of principles to govern and
| warfare The navaI experts . so tOn-
, f frrcd over a plan for uniform meas
,rcmcnt of arship tonnage t. lrev mt
/ further confusion over the varying
| measurement standards now in use by
the several powers.
In the deliberations of tho sub-Ai-
visions of the conference there APP
pcarcd a growing tendency to leave
| details of The Washington negotiations
to be worked out by continu;rg COM
missions who would report to the va
rous offices or future conferences.
IL, l,,4
already been decided upon, and it was
indicated in administration circles
| that the whole scheme of continuing
consultatio among representatives
/ of the powers was regarded by Prcsi-
dent Harding as fitting in with his
/ proposal for a future series of inter-
national meetings.
The president. it was said by adj
ministration o f1icials. would ae much
| disappointed if the Washington con-
! ference adjourned without a definite
agreement for similar negotiations in
! the future. Should no agreement on
auxiliary craft be possible here. II
was declared Mr.. Harding would feel
that an understanding for another
conference on that subject would be
an integral part Of the unfinished
! Washington negotiations. He was
described as desiring that many of
the nations not represented here be
invited to join future auxiliary war;
ship discussion. making the meeting
virtually world conference.
Whether any agreement is to be
reached on navy auxiliary of any
! type is regarded as depending on n
favorable solution Of the submarine
question, because if France and Jap
an insist on building more under
water craft than are proposed for
them under the American plan, 9TH
er powers will be disposed to add to
their navies A disprOportionate ton
mage of various classes of anti-siIb-
marine vessels. 1t is not regarded as
: likely, however. that a failure to
agree on auxiliaries will in any way,
affect the agreement already made as
to capital ships.
! In Japanese quarters, It was en-
/ phasized tonight that the Japanese
! delegation was rot in A position Of
supporting the claims Of France to n
10000 submarine tonnage. Japan, it
was said. was objecting to the Amer
| lean plan solely from the viewpoint
! of her own national interest which
she felt required the maintenance of
! $4,000 tons of submarine instead Of
the $1,000 she would have under the
American plan.
n To In