The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-01-27
sv EDWARD w. PIcKARD

G TRONGLY backed by the British
- and italian delegations to the
Washington conference, Secretary
Hughes and his American colleagues
last week pushed far toward compile
ton of their plans for the establish
ment and maintenance of real open
door, in China. In effect, it was big
week for China and a rather unpleas-
ant one for Japan.
Mr.. Hughes submitted to the Far
Eastern committee a set of resolutions
by which the powers in the conference,
other than China, agree:
"(a) Not to seek or to support their
nationals in seeking any arrangement
which might purport to establish in
favor of their interests any general
superiority of rights with respect to
commercial or economic development
in any designated region of China;
"(b) Not to seek or to support their
nationals in seeking any such monop-
oily or preference as would deprive
other nationals Of the right of under
taking any legitimate trade or industry
in China or Of participating with the
Chinese government, or with any pro-
vincial government, in any category OF
public enterprise, or which by reason
of It's scope, duration, or geographical
extent is calculated to Illustrate the
practical application Of the principle Of
equal opportunity"
China, for It's part, declares its I'm
tention Of being guided by the same
principles in dealing with applications
for economic rights and privileges
from governments and nationals of all
foreign countries whether parties to
that agreement or not.
Provision is made for the establish
ing Of an international board to which
questions Of compliance with the open
door principle may be referred for In
vestigation and report. AS first draft
ed, the resolutions made this applica-
BILE to existing concessions. France OBJ
jected to this and the Japanese,
though accepting the plan sin princi-
ple," were plainly nervous and wor-
ried and asked for time to study the
text. In the interest of speedy action
the Objectionable clause was with
drawn, and thereupon the plan was
given unanimous approval by the
committee. The Americans did not
look on this as defeat, for. under
their construction of the resolutions,
1t will still be possible to bring before
the international commission any open
door question involving existing con-
cessions, including the privileges
which Japan by her notorious 81 de-
mands forced China to concede in 1915.
The Japanese maintain they got moth
ing through those demands that vio-
lates the open door principle. Ambas-
sador Shidehara does not believe the
board of reference plan is practicable,
but finally accepted it.
1t really looks as though the COM
mercial open door in the Far East is
about to become. in the words of Mr..
Hughes. fact instead of motto.
In the latter part of the week the
committee was considering the matter
of the reformation of China's railway
system. The British proposed that the
powers undertake to abolish all trans
portation discrimination in China, and
the Americans suggested that China
unity her railways under her own con-
troll with such foreign financial and
technical cooperation as may prove
necessary"
Some dispute, unknown to the public
at this writing. held up final compile
ton Of the naval treaty. Apparently it
involved the question of Notifications,
and members of the British and Jap