The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-12-27
CONFERENCE NEARS
COMPLETE PROGRAM
Will Be Complete Agree
ment on Limitation of Bat
tleships and Naval Holiday
LAND ORNAMENTS
MATTER OF HOPE ONLY
VIII BE No Specific Recommendation -
Expected China Will Get Shantung-
United States Wants Japan to Get
Out of Siberia-Results by New Years


BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 27.-Just as in
the last lap of the Paris peace conference
public interest seemed to wane and the
most important decisions were being
made. 50 at the Washington conference
the really important stage of negotiations
has been reached at a time when the
monotony of diplomacy has reached an
anti-climax to the dramatic moments of
the opening sessions The truth is the
Washington conference has arrived at the
final stage when accomplishment of far
reaching Importance is close at hand.
The spectacular and the dramatic have
gone by but the decisions being made in
the holiday week will transcend in effect
the earlier discussions and proposals
For the Washington conference is about
to complete the essential parts of its pro
gram. The following can be expected to
materalize whiting the next 10 days.
Results FOretold.
First. complete agreement on limita-
ton of battleShips and on a naval holiday
of 10 years. The submarine issue IS
causing the usual amount of debate and
will take a little time to settle but it will
be settled satisfactorily.
Second. the conversations between
Japan and China relating to. Shantung
give fair promise of adjustment through
the purchase by the Chinese of certain
railroad rights in Shantung.
Third. the Chlnese-.IapaneSe questions
will be embodied in a set Of principles to
be carried out by international commits
Sions.
Fourth. the matter of land ornaments
will be disposed of by general solution
expressing the hope that the major pow
erS may unite i'm reducing financial bur
denS by removing the causes for land
armament. 1t will be the expression Of a
hope rather than 81 direct or specific rec
concentration.
Fifth the question of Japanese with
drawal from Siberia will be urged by the
United States. The attitude of the
japanese is not vet known. But. based
upon the record in the case. there seems
no real reason for japanese occupation
of Siberian territory.
May Agree by New Years.
1t had been hoped that a pIenary seS-
sion might be held ON the day before
Christmas 50 as to give the American
people as a yuletide gift the formal
agreement to stop naval building for 10
years. But the French attitude on CAPT
tai ships took up so much time in nCgo-
tiatiOn that try A. they might to make
speed the delegates had To abandon the
idea. But for New Years day. the pub
lie may expect a complete agreement on
all naval issues.
As for the conversations about Shan
tung, the japanese representatives here
started the discussion without inStruc-
dionS from Toxic but with the assent of
the foreign office 80 as TO see how far
opinion might be developed toward an
agreement. The Japanese asked that
the Chinese retain certain japanese en-
ploycs. To this the Chinese returned a
negative answer as they did to successive
proposals of a loan by japanese bankers
to help the Chinese pay for the railroad
in question. The Chinese refused and
said they would have no difficulty raising
u loan among Chinese bankers.
How does it happen asked the Jap
anese, that they are 80 ready to pay
millions Of dollars for the railroad in /
Shantung when you haven't even paid
your interest on earlier loans"
oh for such a purpose as getting
Shantung back replied the Chinese,
our bankers viii come forward gladly
with funds
So the whole question has been referred
to Toxic in the form of concrete pr0p0 ais
and some decision may be expected within
a few days.
Siberian Question.
As for Siberia, it will prove largely a
question between the United States and
Japan. These two countries entered ST
IBERIA together during the war, but while
the japanese promised TO withdraw when
the Americans did it developed that the
Japanese found excuses for prolonged
stay. The northern half of the Russian
island of Sakhalien is still occupied by
the Japanese and Jewish as reprisal