New-York tribune., 1921-12-08
Harding Soon
IOCiye Senate
44-P Plan
fcontInued from page one)

the event that this agreement is an-
satisfactory to the Chinese delegates.
In view Of the designations among the
Chinese representation here in the lsst
few days and the very obvious impa-
tience at the attitude of the Chinese
delegates shown among both the Ameri-
can and British delegations, this is
easily the most serious situation 80 far
as approval by the Senate of the agree
ments reached at this conference are
concerned.
China has been acting in the con-
ference. according to a man high in
the councils of the Harding Admin
istration, as though her delegates rep
resented united country with a strong
government, which possessed an army
OF million men and powerful feet.
| This view is characte ristic of the feel
ings of several delegates who think that
after all they are doing the very best
they can for China, especially in view
Of the fact that China is and has been
apparently not only utterly helpless
to regain her own rights, but unable to
resist surrendering more and more of
them as time goes on.
! This view, however, finds no agree
ment among a considerable group of
Senators, of whom perhaps Senator
Borah is the most outspoken.
! No one in the conference, not even
the British, who are the only ones who
have ever expressed even mild desire
for it. has the slightest thought Of
sort. The quadrilateral agreement
among the United States, Great Britain,
Japan and France on Far Eastern ques-
tions as something to supersedc the
Anglo-Japanese alliance is very far
from an alliance, and has nothing to
do with one country agreeing to aid
any other country in war. 1t will
tain things shall continue as they are,
with the mutual promise that there will
be meeting of the powers end a dis
cussion before any change and before
any contest. It resembles more a
breathing spell' treaty between four
powers than an alliance.
Their position is not that the United
States should 20 to war with Japan or
any other country in order to enforce
China's rights. but that there should
be public discussion Of the situation,
which would lead to world opinion be-
ing brought to bear in China's behalf.
Against such world opinion, they con-
tend, Japan could not stand for year
after the conference adjourned.
These Senators do not believe, for
example, that the United States should
take any action which would in the
slightest degree acquiesce in any claim
of any nation on China against which
China protests, no matter whether
China surrendered the concession in
question by treaty or not. They do
not believe IN this country recognizing
the validity of treaties, as they put it,
which were obtained by force.
1 Insist on Open Door
They would prefer that this govern
ment insist upon making a declaration
respecting the integrity of China and
of maintaining the open door. If Japan
or any other nation refused to accept
this--not In principle, but in detail and
in actuality-th would have this gov
ernment proclaim all the facts to the
world and then rely on public opinion
of the world to coerce Japan or any
other nation which refused to agree.
Nothing but world opinion forced
Great Britain to the decision just made
on the Irish question:" Senator Borah
declared Tonight Public opinion of
the world was never resorted to in be-
half of China until the Shantung dis
cussion in the United States Senate
and there is no question but that it
was the world opinion reused by that
debate which has affected Japan to the
point where she is willing to mako
concessions on Shantunp"