The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-11-25
Views Were Expressed by Brit
ish Spokesman Outside
the Conference.
WERE NOT OFFICIALLY
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
Uncertain Whether the Subject
Will Come Before the Nine
Delegations Today.

(By The Associated Press)
WASHINGTON. Nov 24.-The far
eastern negotiations, complicated by a
disagreement over the meaning of the
four general principles already adopt
ed. will again become the live issue Of
the armament conference when it re-
sumes work tomorrow after Thanks
giving holiday.
How acute the divergence on view
over application Of the four princi-
pies might become was problematical
tonight but the Chinese in particular
seemed to regard it a fundamental OBJ
stacle to a complete agreement re-
garding the status Of China. Some Of
ficials of the Chinese delegation even
went SO far as to say that there would
be nothing left for them but with
drawal from the conference should an
Interpretation advanced in British
quarters receive the fun approval of
the powers.
The opinion held With apparent
unanimity by the delegates OF all the
nations concerned. however was that
the issue would be so handled as to
preclude such an empasse for the pres
ent at least. 1t was pointed out that
the views at which the Chinese took
offense were delineated by a British
spokesman outside the conference it.
self and so far have not had the for
mai endorsement even OF the British
delegation. These views were. briefly,
that the open door policy defined by
the four principles included Chinese
acceptance Of the eonsortium and the
pooling Of the operation Of railway
concessions, a combination which the
Chinese declare would mean virtual
Observation-Disclosures" OF China.
1t was uncertain tonight whether the
subject would come before the nine
delegations when they meet tomorrow
as a committee OF the whole on the far
east. For their part, the Chinese were
said to feel they could not raise the
point with propriety because the views
attributed to the British were not and
never had been officially before the
far east committee. Apparently a
somewhat similar position was taken.
by the other delegations, and so it ap-
.peared possible that the disagreement
might walt further development until
future discussions bring 1t naturally
into prominence.
The specific subject selected for dis
cussion at tomorrow's session is
Chinas request for abolition of the
system os extra -territoriality" under
which the foreign powers have set up
their own courts within China to han
die cases in which their respective ma
tionals are involved. All OF the ma
tions represented here have indicated
their sympathetic interest" in the
chinese request, although it has been
apparent that even some OF the Chi
nese delegates themselves do, not be-
'lleve the present condition OF the Chi
nese courts would make the change In
mediately possible.
Among some OF the delegates there
was a belief that the cases OF shan
tung and South Manchuria might also
he reached at tomorrow's meeting.
bringing the delegates face to face with
some Of the most complicated ques-
tions OF the whole negotiations
Naval experts will continue their
work on details Of the American reduc-
tion plan and the land armament ne
gotiations will wait for the more press
ing topics OF discussions to be disposed
OF. Subcommittee will be organized
to begin investigation OF such collat-
eral issues as airplanes, poison gas and
the rules of warfare. but II a compre-
hensive plan for land armament limi
tation is to be worked out at all il viii
be IN later stage OF the conference.
The day was observed generally as
a holiday by the delegates. who well
coined the relief from the constant
purpose which has carried the arms
negotiations forward at an unprece-
dented pace Many Of the conference
members attended religious services,
ana there were fewer personal con-
SITUATIONS than is usual during a day
OF rest" In the midst OF an interna-
tional conference
Despite the furry caused by the dis
agreement over the open door" prin-
cipies the delegates generally ex-
pressed confidence that the far eastern
negotiations were proceeding toward
definite achievement. The American
delegations seemed particularly opti-
mistic, for 1t was said to believe the
plan Of campaign laid down BY 1t had
become a vehicle Of continuing prog
ress 1t was revealed that the purpose
I'm bringing forward the four principles |
framed by Elihu Root. relative to |
Continued on Page Two)