Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-01-23
MORE TALK OF
CONT ERENCE
ADJOURNINC
Prediction is That 1t Will
Not Last Beyond First
Days in February
FIGHT OVER CHINA
Expected That The Twenty-One De-
mands Will be Taken up Within
Few Days

Washington, Jan. 22-In all three
of the main lines of work the Con-
ference is very near the terminal
point as it starts the new week, and
talk of adjournment is again heard
on all sides, with predictions made
generally that this last week in Janu-
ary and the first week or 10 days IN
February will mark the end.
| In the naval end of the Conference,
the main thing still open is the ques-
ton of Pacific Notifications, and
there has been ample time for dozen
exchanges of views between the dele
cations and their Governments; in
the Far Eastern end, the most import
ant remaining subject of debate, so
far as China is concerned, is the Il
demands, and after China is definitely
out of the way Siberia will be taken
up and probably disposed of rapidly.
In the Shantung negotiations, as in
the naval matters, there has been
ample for numerous exchanges OF
ample time for numerous exchanges
of views on the railroad question, so
that it should not be hard to agree
or disagree when the delegates are
ready to do so.
Of these three main lines of work
the one that seems to offer most OPP
portunity of collision is the Far
Eastern. This time last week the air
was filled with rumors of impending
clashes, in which the American dele
cation would assume the aggressive in
behalf of the Chinese. The events OF
the week have not Justified the ru.
mors Mr.. Hughes shunted aside the
Il demands last Monday until Shan
tung. shall have been settled. Later
he compromised on the open-door
resolution. That does not look much
like fight. But there still is chance
of fight when the 81 demands are
raised in the next few days-a chance
The lone delay in the settlement OF
the Pacific fortification clause has
given rise from time to time to alarm
ing reports, and has caused some real
uneasinesS. There is bare possibility
that this issue may lead to grave dis
sensions. but the probabilities are the
other wav. as the American and
British delegations have repeatedly
insisted. The fact seems to be that
all the three big naval delegations
the American. British and japanese
will go far to prevent anything like
a collapse.
Two explanations are given for the
seemingly inexplicable delay in the
Qualifications matter. One is that
there really is trouble in .Tapan over
the nIan to allow the British to add
70 their Qualifications south of the
Equator. and that there is more
trouble in Janan over the plan not to
include tho Ronin Islands in Japan
nropcr-which would permit addi-
tional Of thnm-this plan being in con-
flirt with the understanding in many
<n"tions of Japanese opinion when the
5-5-3 ratio was settled. The other
exclamation Of the delay is that Japan
holds back in this matter and in Shan
tung until Shn sees what the end ct
The Far Eastern deliberations is to
be.
For while there were many OBJ
cervnrs Of tho Conference who be-
';ovcd that Mr.. Hughes did not want
.hn naval treaty cor"plcted until Far
Eastern matters in general and Shan
tune in particular were settled. The
number who hold that theory has de
creased vcrv greatly. Most of those
ahont the Conference holievn todav
that Mr.. Hughes and the Harding A d.
ministration would GO TO "reat leneths
if naccssarv to nrofect the naval
trortv M matter what else hanrnnnd.
and that the sooner it is in definite
ND accepted form the better they will
like it.