Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-08

WASHINGTON. Dec. 7.-By the
Associated, Press).-Sub-committee
deliberations and another session of
the conference of the Japanese and
Chinese delegations on the Shan
tung question were the only sched-
uled activities of the arms confer
ence program for the final day Of
the four-day recess which ended
Tuesday.
With negotiations on the naval ra-
tito question still awaiting a definite
statement on the position of the
japanese government. speculation
conferred today OH the question of
to what extent. If at all, political
considerations may have entered in
to the naval question as referred to
Toxic by Admiral Baron Kato fol.
lowing Fridays conference Of the
naval "big three" In estimating
that it might be q week before he
would receive 4 full reply from his
government, Baron Kato declared
in statement last night that the
naval question involved issues of
'far reaching effect upon the ma
tional and international life of ia
pan," which should be brought to
the full knowledge 1T the Japanese
government before definite action is
taken.
The possibility of political issues
becoming more and more involved
in the naval phase of the negotia-
lions was definitely connected in
some quarters today with the in
creased attention which some of the
conference delegates are known to
be giving to the suggestion of
three or four power agreement to
replace the Anglo-Japanese alliance.
While there has been no formal pre-
sentation of the plan in any form
to the conference, there are indica-
tions that the Japanese delegates
and perhaps the British as well may
be- linking it up prospectively with
the naval ratio question in consult
ing on the latter with their govern
ments. The American delegation,
however, is known to adhere to its
expectation that the naval issue will
be settled without predication on
any political arrangements.
Japan RenOunces Rights
Steps toward a settlement of the
Shantung controversy were taken
Monday at the resumption of con-
versations between the Japanese
and Chinese delegations TO the Wash
ington conference when Japan
agreed to renounce in the lease hold
"all preferential rights with regard
to foreign assistance in persons, cap
ital, and material stipulated in the
Chino-German treaty of March 6,
1885,"
These rights had passed to Japan
under the operation of the Yer
sailles peace treaty. They included
the understanding that when any
foreign assistance was needed in
Shantung with respect to capital,
material or men the Chinese govern
ment would first come to German
land later Japanese) merchants and
manufacturers in procuring such
assistance.
At the same time, an agreement
was reached that the maritime Gus
toms sof Tsing-Tao be made an in
tegral part of the Chinese maritime
customs system while the question
of control of the kiauchau Tsinanfu
railroad was deferred for consider
alton at a later meeting.
became known at the conclusion of
the meeting Monday, had been post
poned after Saturdays converse
lions concerning the railroads at the
| request of the japanese delegation.
While no reason was given, the Chi
nese delegation assumed: according
to a Chinese spokesman, that the
Japanese desired to communicate
with Toxic. China, on Saturday, re-
| affirmed it's insistence that China
be given an absolute, Undivided con-
| troll over the Kiauchau railroad.
| The question of the railroad, which
| is considered to be the heart of the
| entire Shantung dispute. is expect
| ed to be considered again on Wed
nesday, the Chinese said.
Customs Agreement
In reaching the agreement on the
Tsing-Tao customs, it was stipulat-
| ed that the Chinese government
would recommend to the inspector
| general of customs that Japanese
traders at this point be permitted to
communicate with customs officials
in the Japanese language.
| The recommendation to be made
to the Chinese government regard
ing the use of the Japanese Ian
guage was agreed to as an alterna-
tive to the proposal by the Japa-
nese delegates as one of the official
| languages of the customs service.
This proposal was rejected by the
Chinese, who, however, in view of
the inability of many small jap
anese traders to speak Chinese,
agreed that Japanese could be used
in their communications with the
Chinese inspector general.
JAPAN REACTS SLOWLY
TO ARMS NEGOTIATIONS
BY Charles e. Hogue
| Especial Dispatch to The Atlanta Journal
! and Chicago Daily News-Copyright, 1921