The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-28
POWERS STILL FAR FROM AGREEMENT
 ON THE QUESTION
President Said to Have Com municated Views to Ameri- can Delegation - laps
 Receive Instructions
By Associated Press

Washington, December 27-The submarine controversy has revealed so wide a difference of opinion among the powers that the arms del egates are seriously discussing a plan to leave the whole question of auxiliary warship tonnage to later international conference.
 So far consideration for the project has been entirely informal, with con ference leaders outwardly reflecting a hope that the present negotiations may yet bring the submarine problem to a solution. In many quarters, however, there are growing signs of Encouragement over the prospect, and an accompanying tendency to eX- anime carefully the possibilities of the postponement plan.
 In highest American official circles it was said today that concrete pro- posal for future conference might be laid before the arms delegates within a few days. President Hard ing was said to feel that such a con ference would be a logical develop ment of his policy of international consultation and it was indicated that he had communicated his desires to the American delegation.
 Tonight the submarine tangIe
 apparently wns ns far as ever
 from settlement despite confer
 ences between the American dele
 gates and those of Japan md
 France, the two powers who are
 holding out against the American
 comprOmise proposal. The naval
 committee, which hns not met
 since Saturday, will resume it's
 sessions tomorrow, but neither
 the French nor Japanese expect
 to he in n position to modify their
 objections to the American plan.
 The negotiations over Shantung also took on a more serious aspect during the day when the Japanese, after the receipt of fresh instruc- tions from Tokio let 1t be known that they were not prepared to make any further concessions in their ex- changes with the Chinese over re- turn of the Tslngtao-T Tsinanfu rail- road. The Chinese already have de- clared they can go no further toward & compromise, but in some conference circles there still is hope that the two groups may be brought together.
 Foor-POwer Treaty et Meantime the new tolir-power Pa CHIC treaty Alfeauy signed Dy thf United States, Great Britain, Framed and Japan got back into conference discussions through suggestion from Japan that the four powers agree not to apply the terms of the pact to the principal islands of the Japanese empire. In view of differ ences of view developing in the United States and Japan as to the meaning of the treaty, the Japanese were said to be considering the sug gestion of such an interpretative agreement.
 An interpretation not applying the treaty to the major Japanese islands would be a reversal of the under standing said to have existed among the delegations when the treaty was signed. It would be adverse also to the interpretation announced by the American delegation, but in harmony with that voiced by President Hard ing. Should the Tokio government decide. formally to suggest such an agreement, the move might precipi- tate an intricate situation in the con- ference.
 Another suggestion involving inter esting political considerations came during the day from French circles It was a hint, ad'-anced informally while the delegaf.On waited for news | of the decisions of the cabinet IT Paris, that France might be willing l to agree to a status quo limitation (Continued on Page Fourteen)