The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-04
VIVIANI FIRST TO OFFER SACRIFICE OF LEASEH0LDS II

know that II they refuse to give way
on this point they can put both Japan
and all the rest Of the delegations in a
hole.
Ieaseholds at Stake.
On the leaseholds there are five i'm
portant places to keep disentangled.
Two concern Japan, two Britain. and
one France. After viviani had ex-
pressed the willingness OF France to
let go, provided the disgorging was
general. the French piece being Kwan-
tung. held on q lease of ninety-nins
, years. Britain stated her position. In
two distinct parts.
Part first In that she will not give
I'D Kai Lung, treating 1t as part OF
her permanently owned HongkJnx'
and necessary to the protection OF the
Hongkong.
Part second In that she will give up
wei-Hei-We provided such q yield
ing on her part viii help the Japa-
Eese and the Chinese to get together
on the Shantung problem.
Japan, the real difficulty las the
Hongkons holding 10 not seriously
questioned by China) makes two sep
arate statements, Of greatly differing
nature and Importance. One relate:
TO South Manchuria. Port Arthur. ana
the Liau-Tung peninsula. in which her
position amounts to standing pat on
her control. Although there 10 oppo-
sition to this position in China. II u
not general or strong enough to break
the conference by leading the Chinese
delegates to refuse to reach any agree
ment.
Railroad Critical Issue.
The other Japanese point In Shan.
tunR. and that Ia outside the confer
ence. being carried on by direct nego-
tiations. Despite all the talk about
6.5-3 (Which Ii absolutely settled I'M
less the conference breaks, and has
been settled for over a week., and de-
spite rumors about the substitute Tor
the Anglo-Japanese. alliance, the
critical point Of the whole proceedings
today is this Shantung railway.
The big three have the naval sit
uation In their own hands, and they
have definitely bound themselves in
honor TO SECRECY. so that all the SO
called news about 1t is rumor. We
know, however. that Japan's assent
Is thus far bound up with some salts
factory settlement of the Pacific Sues-
ton, This means two main groups
of subjects. One is the group of Chi
nese problems affecting Japan. The
other Is the group of naval questions,
including bases in the Pacific.
The principal rumor OF the moment
relates to what may take the place OF
the alliance between Britain and Jn'
pan. The talk runs all the way from
a treaty to a memorandum. The
latest form has France In on a four
power treaty, and travels from Tokyo
70 London and thence to these shores.
A few persons believe the Admins
tration Is preparing to offer to the
Senate a definite treaty on Far East
ern affairs. The more general view
il that the agreement, when reached
will be in the form of joipt notes,
which may be put before the Senate
as a courtesy, but which are not &C.
PENDENT on the Senate for their Vaho
aty.
Press Reflects Public View.
The fluidity Of public opinion has
been illustrated by the newspaper
opinions gathered by Colonel Thomp-
sons subcommittee. At first the re-
ror,s were extremely rosy. They
dealt mostly with the naval holiday
and program and gave the Admins
tration great confidence. Then there
followed Immediately q bunch Of vio-
lent objections to what was called Sc
cret diplomacy.
These objections can be summed up
shortly: The newspapers voicing
them feel that Secretary Hughes n,ads
Il valiant new move In history when
he laid a program on navies before
the whole world. with exact specified
lions, and said that as far as the
United States was concerned. the other
nations could take them or nothing.
When the Secretary did not follow
that with any Chinese or Pacific
policy, but left the matter to be
worked out in committees, without
program by which the public could
test 1t, the swing of many newspapers
toward suspicion and disappointment
began. Everything was made public
that the Secretary felt he could make
public, and he felt the Importance of
publicity, but the very fact that We
had no policy led to the period in
which the public has been chefing
because 1t does not really understand
what is going on.
Hughes Handicap on China.
After his great triumph Of Novem-
Der IL the Secretary came to a
sharply different situation. On that
dramatic day he offered a sweeping
sacrifice as a pace-setter. In China he
had no sacrifice to offer. We had one
lonely postoffice. We had no DOS
sessions or leased territories. Tie
situation reminded him Of Artemus
Ward offering to give UP on the alter
of his country all the relatives of his
wife.
Whether the Secretary made mis-.
take or not in refraining from offering
a public solution of the Far Eastern
.question he undoubtedly lost through
out the country a large part OF the
enthusiasm and confidence that follow
ed the first great enterprise in open
diplomacy sprung upon a gasping
world just three weeks ago.
The general view is that from this
period Of secret settlements we shall
emerge the first half of next week.
II we do there ia likely to be a public
meeting on Thursday or soon after.
Two things will bring about this
meeting, and they will apparently
happen at the same time. One Is the
- A.