The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-05

hato. over the acceptance or rejeo-
ton by Japan Of the naval ratio.
AZ the conference enters Its fourth
week, japan has stepped to the center
OF the stage as the chief actor Of the
show. Everything depends upon word
from Tokyo, not only az regards the
naval ratio and naval holiday, but on
numerous questions relating to Far
Eastern matters. These have been
taken up, discussed, tentatively agreed
upon and then the Japanese have in
sisted upon recourse to the home gov
ernment for ratification.
Tokyo late last Friday night. follow
Ing the meeting between Hughes
Balfour and kato, and II Is presum-
ably the delay In getting reply 10
this that Ii forcing tho delegates
here to cool their heels in waiting.
Hear Many Reports.
The exact nature OF the report Ia
Tokyo Is known only to the few
who had a hand I'm it's making. The
secrecy with which the present stage
of the negotiations Is being surround
I'd In leading TO all sorts OF rumors
and reports. In the Hobbies AID ante
rooms Of the various headquarters
can be heard a score Of stories.
Within the short space OF ten min
utes. one can hear that Hughes has
sent an ultimatum to the japanese
10 either take the naval program or
lake the next boat home. or that a
complete agreement has been reach
ed and TINT Friday nights cable
concerned only the state Of the
weather.
The plain truth of the matter 10
that outside OF the few principal
actors r. the conference show--and
those few confined to American.
British and japanese spokesmen-no
one In Washington knows the exact
status OF the negotiations.
Secret diplomacy has succeeded
opsnness with which the conference
started. 1t il two weeks ago today
since the last plenary session Of
the conference was held. and the
date of the next open session Ia still
q matter OF considerable doubt. 1t
will not be held until something has
been agreed to. The process of
agreeing will be worked out behind
closed doors.
Big Three Talked.
It is known with more or less
certainty that at Friday nights
secret session the abrogation of the
Anglo-Japanese alliance and the sub
stitution In its stead of q general in
ternational agreement was discussed
by Hughes, Balfour and kato. There
is excellent authority for stating that
Balfour and Kato assured Secretary
Of State Hughes that they would
gladly "shuck" the alliance II by
SO doing they could be assured that
the United States would come into .
three, four, or five-party agreement
to govern future policies In the Pa
cific and Far East.
Beyond that little 10 known. In
official circles reports that an agree
ment was reached on an alliance"
or even an understanding" are
characterized AZ dreams"
The belief prevails that the secret
session Of the Big Three had to do
with diplomatic trading. Japan's
plea for naval ratio greater than
the 10-10-s proposed has been turned
down fatty and unequivocally by
the American delegation. and the
British approved Of the rundown.
Forced thus to acknowledge defeat
on the naval question. II Is believed
that the japanese have sought to
turn the incident to some advantage
by making her acceptance Of the
naval ratio contingent upon being
granted concession further along the
line Of negotiation.
BY so doing the Japanese would
be following their own diplomatic
precedents, and using the same meth
DDS which they used to such good
ADVANTAGE at Paris.