Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1921-12-07
Substitution Anglo
Japanese Alliance
Is Absorbing the Attention of
the Arms Delegates-De-
sire to Include United States
in New Entente.

Washington, Dec. (By the A. P.).-
| The effort to find an acceptable substi-
| tute for the Anglo-Japanese alliance has
! SO diverted the attention of many of the
| arms delegates as TO throw even the
| question of the naval ratio temporarily
| into the background.
Both the Japanese and the British have
| shown desire to include the United
States in any entente that may replace
the alliance, and a tentative treaty draft
under consideration by some of the gov
! ernments concerned would provide for
! quadruple arrangement, also including
| France.
What may have been the attitude Of
/ the American delegates in the behind-the-
| scenes developments having to do with
| the proposal remains a mystery. Taking
| the position that no entente suggestion is
| formally" before them, the American
representatives steadfastly refuse to dis
cuss publicly in any way the possibility
| of American participation in a political
| agreement regarding the Far East
In the absence of an authoritative ex-
| PLANTATION of the American viewpoint the
| impression is gained by the delegates of
other powers that the American plenipo-
tentiaries are feeling their way very eau
iously, as they s,>5l to ascertain what
course would be in accord with American
/ Oll4Clel silli pubic OIlulpn.
| Recognizing the senate's claim to part
nership in the shaping of international
agreements, Secretary Hughes and his
/ colleagues are said to be solicitous that
| the sentiment of the treaty ratifyins
branch of the government, as we'll as
| that of the executive, shall be taken into
| account. How an accurate canvass OF
senate opinion could be made in the
midst of the negotiations, however, pre-.
sents still another puzzle.
A "gentleman's agreement" or under.
standing" if that diplomatic instrument
were used in the place of a treaty. would
not require senate confirmation, bu
President Harding and other officials o.
his administration have indicated repeat
edly that they do not propose to tax,
steps which senators might regard a!
ignoring the senate's claim to participat,
in international policies
All of these considerations are bein.
weighed carefully by the foreign dele
gates wlso desire to have the United
States a narty to the next Far Easter
concert of NATIONS. There have been in
dicat:ons that the other powers concerned
| would prefer that the agreement be pu
into the form of a treaty but it remain
to be seen how far they will press tn
suggestion when they understand full,
the American constitutional system.
Meantime some clue to help solve tn
riddle may be given in, the near future b,
the senate itself. Speculation as to wha
course the negotiations may take is grow
ing among senator's as they come to
! gether for the new session. and severa
have indicated that they might seek i
senate debate to bring the question G
an entente more conspicuously before tn
public
While this phase Of the Washfngto
conference is developing. the naval rati
, negotiations still are a ia standstill Will
= the Japanese delegates wait for wor
: from Toxic. 1t may be several days b.
: fore thay are in a position to resume th
: naval discussions. The full committee
: the whole on the Far East will me,
again tomorrow, however. after a rece.
:. Of five days, and will proceed with i
discussions of Chinese problems In II
: five day interim closing tonight the 70
NAL activities of the conference have hes
! Fonfned to meetings of the s7ib-comml
tee on draft of resolutions and 10 col
; versations of ire japanese and Chine,
u regarding Shantung. Both the dra
!. committee and the Shantung group m
: today, but neither reported materi
L progress.