New-York tribune., 1921-11-18
China'sProgran
InspiredbyU.S.
Simonds Says
Continues from pass ens)

separated on others. Is the Peking
government controlled by the Jap
anese? Does the Peking government
control the delegation which 1t has
sent here? Is the Chinese policy real
or is it inspired by Japanese influence
Obviously these questions cannot be
answered now, but every one who un-
anese situation must AT every moment
ask himself these questions.
Except for these complexities, one
would say outright that the Chinese
maneuvers on Wednesday placed the
Japanese in an embarrassing position,
placed them on the defensive, and
would ultimately force them to make a
disclosure of their position.
My Japanese friends tell me that
they were taken by surprise by the
Chinese proposal, and they express ad-
Chinese seized the initiative.
am again told by my Japanese
friends that there is profound differ
enee of opinion in the Japanese delcga-
tion as to the wisdom or unwisdom of
the suggestion that the Japanese ratio
of naval strength be increased from
six to scven-i. e., from 60 to 70 per
cent. At least among the Japanese
Journalists, who are more closely in
touch with American opinion than their
statesmen, there is a strong feeling
that the government will make a mis-
take if it does not accept Mr.. Hughes's
major protest. This, too, I present
frankly from a Japanese statement.
Sees America as Compromised
Is the United States presently to
present full program of its own, as
1T did in the naval question, or decide
to content itself with waiting until
Chinese, Japanese and perhaps British
petitions have been presented 'and then
undertake the role of compromiser,
seeking to promote agreement over the
debated points? The question is unan-
swered, but there is every indication
that at the moment Mr.. Hughes in
clines to play the latter role.
In sense there is something ridicu-
lous about the Far Eastern situation.
Everybody is waiting for the other
fellow to make the first move. China
has been egged into making q move,
but has couched her statement in such
vague and general terms as to amount
to no statement at all. Japan has
lodged, or rather pushed, the thing
back by asking for bill of particulars.
SO far the United States has not moved.
Obviously American diplomacy would
like to get China and Japan on record,
but there are difficulties which I'D to
date have blocked the American de-
sire.
All of which is another way of saying
that the Far Eastern question is going
to be settled by process of bargain
ing and barter. China and Japan will
have to make big concessions. Neither
OF them, however, desires to concede
anything until it knows what the maxi
mum expected is, since obviously
neither desires to give away anything
that he does not have to.
Stream of Critical Comment
If the Japanese and Chinese arc
really fighting "sure enough" battle.
then obviously the Japanese will
promptly ask the Chinese what guar
antics the Peking government can give
for the protection of railroads, prop
erty and lives provided Japanese
troops are withdrawn, and then we
snail have before US at once the whole
question of the difficulties and chaos in
China. But it is still far from clear
that either side desires to go to the
bottom ct the Far Eastern questions,
get the barbarian" out
There are many resemblances be-
tween The present situation and that
in Paris. Since the conference has
gone underground we are back in the
golden age of the press agent. The
man sources of news now are the Off
cial spokesmen of the sereral delega-
tons, the unofficial spokesman who
gives voice to what the European call
"officious" declarations, and the more
or less inspired press agents who give
circulation to every sort of rumor de-
signed to hurt the other fellows side
and help their own.
The result is necessarily stream of
contradictory and critical comment.
such as every one who recalls the
Paris Conference remembers as q char
acteristic output Of each days work.
1t for no other reason than that
long period of this press campaigning
might produce dep1orable results #
seems likely that those who are in
control OF the conference will seek to
make events march rapidly. After ali,
the conference began better than any
one hoped. the possibility Of achieve
ment is larger than anybody could
nave imagined month ago, and after
the most magnificent entrance on
record what the responsible statesman
now desires is happy and quick exit.
Copyright. 1891, BY tho Mcclure NsDspopsr
SyHdtcdtc)
Germany to Send Charge