The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-11-25
CHINA SUBJECT
OF TODAY'S
CONFERENCE
Most Vital Factor of the
Peace Problem Is Un-
der Consideration =
Progress of l0isarma-
ment Project Seems To
Be Favorable

Washington, Nov 25.-tBy the AS
sociated Press.) THE arms confer
ence discussion of the Far Eastern
question today shifted to the possibil
ity of abridging the system of extra
territorial rights" under which the
powers maintain their own judicial
agencies in China for the trial of
cases in which their respective ma
tionals are involved
China wants the extra territorial
though her delegates have in
dictated doubt whether the present
judicial machinery of the Chinese gov
ernment would make it possible to
withdraw the foreign tribunals imme-
diately. All the other nations con
cerned have expressed a hope that
something can be done toward modi-
flying the present system, but have
evidenced in the main a feeling that
nothing of a very sweeping character
! in that direction is warranted just
now.
The heads of the nine delegates,
discuss the extra territoriality prob
lem was the only meeting Of the con
| ference or its subdivisions on today's
program, the questions of land and
! naval armament having again come
into temporary eclinse while its ex-
perts prepare their decisions as to de-
tails. 1t was thought by some dele
gates that the deliberations might al
so reach the subject of leases during
the day, bringing into the discussions
the troublesome question of Shantung
and Manchuria
Meantime the clash of opinion be-
tween the Chinese and some of the
British spokesmen over the meaning
of the four Root principles continued
a subject of speculation.
The question of interpreting the
! Root principles has not come directly
before the sessions Of the confer
ence, however, and may not be raised
formally until the discussions reach a
point requiring application of the
principles to specific cases.
Eastern Question Up
Washington, Nov 25.-(By the AS
sociated Press )-Resuming it's Far
ton conference was prepared to take
up specifically the question submitted
in the Chinese ten points for aboli-
tion of the system of extra territory
under which the foreign powers have
set up their own courts in China to
handle cases in which their respective
nations are involved. While all of
the nations represented here have in
dicated "a sympathetic interest" in
the Chinese request, it has been ap-
| parent that even some of the Chinese
delegates themselves do not believe
the present condition of Chinese
courts would make this Immediately
| possible.
1t was considered a possibility by
some of the delegates that the meet
ing today also would see the first ref
erence to the cases of Shantung and
| South Manchuria, which would bring
up what are conceded to be some of
the most complicated questions faced
in the entire negotiations.
In the outside" developments of
the conference, the conflict of view
! between the British and Chinese dele
| cations on the application of the four
general principles already adopted
with relation to China remained the
! outstanding point of interest Wheth-
er this issue might be raised formal
ly within the conference today was
uncertain. although it was the opn-
ion generally of delegates that in any
course it would be so handled as to
preclude any possibility of an i'm.
passe. 1t has been revealed authori-
| fat hof ha - 81
American delegation in b Nnging for
ward the Root resolution was to place
the entire Far East negotiations on
foundation of accepted basic prnci-
pies from whose application there
would be no escape as the conference
proceeded to the consideration of the
details involved in the Chinese ten
points and other open issues. At the
same time, it was said that the con-
tinuance of international supervision
of Chinese customs. finances and ev-
en- railroads it was not viewed by the
American delegation as in any sense
consistent with the declarations in
the Root resolution in favor of the
maintenance OF Chinese integrity or
independence.
The subcommittee of the nine pow
ers appointed to study the question
Of the Chinese tariff would be called
together by Senator Underwood, its
chairman, in few days. it was an
| nounced today. The committee is
awaiting preparation OF additional fs-
cal data to begin its work. The dis
position Of the American delegation
seems to be in favor of increasing the
maximum to which China has been
restricted in her customs imposts as
necessary for the maintenance of the
! government.