The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1921-12-23
NAVAL AGREEMENT OF
ARMS CONFERENCE

WITH that treaty out of its way,
w the conference resumed consid-
Grafton of the naval reduction and
limitation plan. The Japanese plead
ed earnestly to be permitted to retain
their new pet dreadnaught, the Mutsu.
For several days the Americans held
out against this, but finally 1t was
agreed to, with the understanding that,
to maintain the 5-5-3 ratio, the Ameri-
can navy should retain the super
dreadnaughts Colorado and Washing
ton in place of the Delaware and the
North Dakota, and that Great Britain
should retain two of the new Hood
type battleships already planned But
those Hood vessels as designed would
be more powerful than either The Col
Grade or the Mutsu class, so it was
suggested that they should not be
built any larger than the Colorado.
This plan was accepted by all and
the naval agreement WIS formally an
nounced TO the conference. The pact
includes the provision that there shall
naval bases in the Pacific region. in
Guiding the British case and fortiiica-
tons at Hongkong and kow Loon.
This restriction does not apply to the
Hawaiian Islands, Australia, New Zea-
land and Japan proper nor to the
coasts of the United States and Can
ada.
China's delegation stepped forward
again on Wednesday with formal plea
to the Far Eastern committee for
the abrogation of the treaties grow
ing out of the twenty-one demands
of Japan in 1915, which China says
she was forced to accept. BY these
treaties Japan retains her hold on
Shantung and Manchuria. The Jap
anese delegates quickly and sharply
objected to the Chinese proposal and
the committee adjourned sine die.
Meanwhile the negotiations between
the japanese and Chinese outside the
conference are continuing, the latter
putting forward n plan by which Chi
neSe bankers propose to purchase from
Japan the ownership and control of
the Shantung railroad-the nub of the
whole controversy over that province.
1t was said the japanese had so far
receded from their original claims for
retention of half ownership that they
were now willing to give up the road
with certain reservations concerning
the methods and security for payment,
and also preferential rights of invest
ment These rights might result in
giving the Japanese actual control of
the management but China realizes
that she cannot get all she asks.
The members of the conference evil
IDENTIFY feel that the best they can do
for China now is to adopt a new bill
of rights" for her which will enable
her to organize stable functioning
government, and that to such govern
ment may be left many of the coun-
try's problems and troubles.
To further complicate the Chinese
problem came from the soviet govern
ment of Russia q protest against dis
cussion of the Chinese Eastern rail-
way by the conference. The road,
which is Of immense strategic and
economic Importance to Russia, China
and Japan, was built by Russia and
legally speaking belongs to Russia.
For several years 1t has been managed
by an interallied board whose chair
man is John F. Stevens Of America.
Both the United States and Japan
have spent large sums on the upkeep
of the line.
Secretary Hughes made public the
main points of the agreement entered
into between the United States and
Japan concerning zap and the other
islands north Of the equator assigned
to Japan by the treaty of Versailles.
1t confers upon the United States
equal privileges with Japan in all
those islands but imposes on 1t no
obligations or responsibilities.