The New York herald., 1921-12-13
INDICATES AMERICAS POSITION ON MANDATED ISLANDS

results. The Japanese and Chinese
delegates are still trying to reach All
understanding over Shantung. The
crux of this situation lies in the dis
position to be made OF the railway
properties of which Japan has insisted
upon retaining control until fully
compensated.
Recent advices from China are in
effect that Chinese banking group
is trying TO finance an agreement over
the disputed Kiao-Chou district ap-
pears most improbable. The Chinese
delegates who are conducts the ne
gotiations with Japan are eager to
reach an understanding, because they
have been frankly informed there will
undoubtedly be objections raised by
more than one delegate against the
injection Of it into the conference pro-
ceedings for the reasons set forth IN
The New YORK HERALD this morning.
Sympathy with China.
the ambitions Of China regarding
Shantung. The difficulty Is that seven
of the nations participating in the con-
ference are members of the League of
Nations and signed the treaty award
ing Sbantung TO Japan. The delegates
representing these countries feel that
they cannot with consistency review
their established acts and stultify
themselves.
In the event of failure the Chinese
delegates undoubtedly will strive to
have the conference take up the mat
ter In this undertaking they will
have the assistance of the delegates
of the United States and probably that
of France and Italy; that is as much
as can be saiI of the situation to-
night.
Japan provided evidence to-day of
her desire to help to clear up the Chi
nese situation by notifying the Far
East committee that Japan would sur
render control of the post offices main
tanned by her in China. In doing so
they expressed the hope that the Chi
nese would retain the present Japa-
nese administrators OF her postal sys-
tenn.
There is a great deal of speculation
as to the form regarding Chinese af-
fairs the conference will adopt. The
proposition is recognized as one that
cannot be disposed of out of hand.
Any agreement reached will undoubt-
edly obligate all OF the nations partici-
pating in the conference to cooperate
in giving China a new start. The
difficulty is the lack of understanding
as to specific necessities and under
takings.
Root Principles as Basis.
The adoption OF the Root principles
as the basis for adjustment of Chinese
perplexities provides merely the fcun-
dation for concrete correctives. The
delegates of this and other countries
who really desire to rescue China from
her present embarrassments have re-
Gently discussed the advisability of
creating a general commission COM
posed of representatives of the eight
Powers associated with China In the
conference to supervise the working
out of the reforms proposed for her
benefit
If this scheme is adopted the COM
mlttee will be empowered to supervise
an investigation and set up machinery
loT accomplishing the ueSlTeu IeSultb.
At present the majority of the dele
gates, with the exception of those from
China and Japan, do not see how they
can go much further than promote
agreements to apply the guaranteed
embraced in the general scope of the
Root resolution.
Two other features of the Far East
ern situation which are indirectly re-
lated to the Chinese problems apply
to Japan. One is the disposition of
the japanese claims to superior rights
in Manchuria. The other has to do
with the continued occupation Of ST.
IBERIA by Japanese military forces. Up
to date these subjects have not figured
in the proceedings of the Far East
committee and only casually engaged
the attention of delegates to the con-
ference.