The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-25
FAR EAST PROBLEM
TO BECOME LIVE
ISSUE AT FARLEY
Chinese May Withdraw From
Conference if the British
"0pen Door" Policy
Is Adopted

Piles already adopted, will again be-
come the live issue of the armament
conference when it resumes work
tomorrow, after the Thanksgiving
holiday
How acute the divergence OF
view over application of the four
principles might become WINS
problcmaticaI tonight. but the
Chinese in particular seemed to
regard ms n Fundamental obstacle
TO complete agreement regard
ing the status of China. Some
officials of the Chinese deieEa-
tion even went SO far MS to say
that there would he nothing left
for them but withdrawal from
the conference should nm inter-
probation advanced in British re-
ceive the full approval OF the
powers.
The opinion held with apparent
| unanimity by the delegates of all the
nations concluded. however. was that
the issue would be soon handled as to
| preclude such an impasse for the
present at least. IL was pointed out
| that the views at which the Chinese
took offense We're delineated by a
| British spokesman outside the con-
| ference itself and so far have not
/ had tine formal Endorsement even OF
the British delegation. These views
were briefly that the open door poll
icy defined by the four principles In
cluded Chinese acceptance of the
consortium and the pooling of the
operation of railway concessions, a
combination which the Chinese de-
clare would mean virtual inter
naturalization" of China.
1t was uncertain tonight whether
the subject would come before the
] nine delegations when they meet to-
/ morrow as a committee of the whole
on the far east. Apparently some
what similar position was taken by
the other delegations, and so It ap-
peared possible that the disagree
ment might wait further develop
ments until future discussions bring
it naturally into prominence.
The specific subject selected for
| discussion at tomorrow's session is
China's request for abolition OF the
4 system OF extra -territoriality," I'M
der which the foreign powers have
| set up their own courts within China
to handle cases with which their re-
spective nationals are involved. AL
here have indicated their "sympa-
thetic interest" in the Chinese re-
quest although 1t has been apparent
| that even some of the Chinese dele
gates themselves do not believe the
present condition OF the Chinese
courts would make the change i'm
mediately possible.
| Among some of the delegates there
was a belief that the cases of Shan
tung and South Manchuria might
ing, bringing the delegates face to
face with some OF the most compli-
Gated questions OF the whole nego-
tiations.
! Meantime naval experts will con-
| tinue their work on details of the
| American reduction plan and the
| the land armament negotiations viii
wait for the more pressing topics of
discussions to be disposed of. Sub
committees will be organized to be-
gin investigation OF such collateral
issues as airpianes. poison gas and
| the rules of warfare, but II com
| limitation is to be worked out at all
IL viii be in a later stage of the con-
! ference.
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day was observed
generally as a holiday by the dele
gates who welcomed the relief from
| the constant pressure which has car
ried the arms negotiations forward
| at an unprecedented pace. Many of
the conference members attended re-
! ligious services and there were fewer
personal consultations than is usual
! during day of rest" in the midst
/ of an international conference.
/ Despite the furry caused by he
! disagreement over the open door"
principles. the delegates generally
expressed confidence that the far
| eastern negotiations were proceeding
| toward definite accomplishment. The
American delegation seems particu.
larly optimistic for 1t was said to be-
| lieve the plan of campaign laid down
by 1t had become a vehicle of con-
| tinuing progress. 1t was revealed
! that the purpose in bringing forward
| the four principles framed by Elihu
Root relative to China was to form a
| background for further proceedings
| in dealing with the details Of the
| various matters set out in the Chi
nese ten points and other open issues.
Details Not Dealt With
So far. 1t was said, there has been
M attempt to deal with details. There
have been conversations between in
dividual delegates on these subjects
| and spokesmen for the various dele
| gates have not hesitated to make the
| press pretty we'll acquainted with
| their own views, but the conference
itself was said to have confined its
! discussions to the Root resolutions,
in connection with the correspond
| ing sections of the Chinese ten points.
| There has been "a deliberate pur-
| pose on the part of the Americans In
| adopting this method, which in way
/ constitutes precedent In interna-
tional conferences. The design Is
said to have been to bind in the most
| solemn manner each of the nations
| represented in the conference to the
observance of each of these -four
points. Then when the time comes
| FOR consideration of details they viii
be classified and discussed under the
appropriate headings and it is cal
cuiated Mat In the end there will be
| NO escape from the application Of the
principle nor opportunity for mlsun-
Outstanding or double construction.
international supervision OF Chin
ese customs must continue on the
| present basis for the present. accord
Ing to the American poin of view
notwithstanding the aspirations oil
the Chinese. There are many reasons
r, garded as sound by the American
delegates for holding to this view
not the least of which is doubt as te
the power OF the present Peking au-
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