The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-07-28
JAPAN CONSENTS TO
A FULL DISCUSSION
Suggests That Closed Incidents Be
Omitted From the Scope of the
Meeting.

WASH. .INGTON, July 27.-Japan's
definite acceptance of a place in the
disarmament conference, which reach
ed the state department today, gives
consent to discussion of far eastern
questions in connection with the con-
ference, but suggests that problems
which concern only particular powers
or which can be regarded as closed in
cidents be omitted from the scope of
the meeting.
There was every evidence of salts
faction over the reply in official cir
cles here, and it was indicated that the
way now was regarded aa entirely
clear for the preliminary negotiations
which will fix the time and place of
meeting and the details of procedure.
A comprehensive consideration of
the conference program before the del
egates actually assemble also was sug-
gested in the Japanese note and now is
regarded as assured. The attitude of
officials here has been that such a
discussion would be entirely IN place
once all the invited powers had def
nitely accepted invitations.
A portion of the Japanese reply
which attracted particular attention
here was a paragraph declaring it the
sense Of the Japanese government that
during the conference problems such
as are of sole concern to certain par
ticular powers or such matters that
may be regarded accomplished facts
should be scrupulously avoided"
1t was made plain, however, that Of
ficials here regarded this statement
not as a condition OF acceptance by
Japan but as a forecast of the attitude
she will take when the negotiations
over the conference program begins.
1t is pointed out here that Japan at
the outset of her note agrees to dis
cussion of such subjects as may be re-
garded as bearing directly on disarma-
ment mad says in specific terms that
she is willing to talk about Pacific and
far eastern questions. It Is suggested
that some questions which might 9TH
erwise affect only two or three powers
will readily find a place in the cate
CORY which the Toxic government has
thus accepted. Although officials with
held comment, 1t was recalled here in
connection with the Japanese reference
to such matters that may be regarded
as accomplished facts" that the Jap
nese ambassador at London recently
indicated that his government would
not care to discuss questions like
Shantung and zap, because it regarded
them as having been settled by the
treaty of Versailles. In other quarters,
however, it has been pointed out that
the Versailles treaty is not recognized
by China so far as Shantung is con-
cerned and that the United States has
not consented to the treaty's terms
relating to zap and other mandate ter
ritories so that in each case an open
question is raised which would seem
to make further terms necessary. 1t
also Is emphasized that because Of the
unusual situation in the far east where
various powers have a direct concern
in Chinese integrity and have large
material interests and concessions, it
may be difficult to agree that any par
ticular question affects only a limited
number of nations. All of this, how
ever. is expected to be threshed out in
the exchange OF wives which is to pre-
cede the meeting of the conference.