Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-01-10
Delegates at Conference Are
Preparing to Press the
Far Eastern Discussions
to a Conclusion.
BALF0UR WILL SAIL
FOR HOME TUESDAY
British Representative Ex-
poets the Shantung Con-
trovorSy to Be Settled
Before His Departure.

sociated Press. Only details of
technical phraseology remain to be
worked OUT Dc~Jre the treaty for
limitation of armament is ready
for signature by the plenipoten-
tiaries of the five great powers.
Passing today On its last question
of policy the armament commit
tee Of the W ,tsnington conference
decided against any present at
tempt to limit or regulate aerial
warfare and voted to refer the
problem to a continuing commits
sion for future study.
Then each of the five delegations,
meeting separately began an ex-
animation of the tentative treaty
draft prepared by the sub-ccmmit-
tee of experts, The delegation
heads are to come together late
tomorrow to compare opinions and
it is expected that the complete
text will he ready for publication
to the world at plenary session of
the conference T'narsday or Friday.
StGtns Cf Merchant Ships.
Questions of definition, partic-
.ularly witn reference to the status
Of merchant vessels in war time,
10 understood to be chief concern
of the delegates in their efforts to
agree on wording acceptable to
every one.
With the armament end Of the
conference approaching final dis
position, the delegates are prepar-
ing to press the Far Eastern dis
'cussions to an early copclusion. The
~, t. 4
lock, but fresh hope of a settlement
was aroused tonight when it be-
came apparent that the negotia-
tons of that subject were turning
into new channels.
Some delegates took so optimis-
tic q view of the outlook that they
we're predicting a plenary session
for Saturday or Monday to an
nounce completion of the Far East
ern treaty Arthur j. Palfour. head
of the British delegation, made de-
finite plans to sail for home on
Tuesday of next week, and his coll
leagues decl9red il was entirely
flely that he would sign the Far
Eastern agreement before his de-
parture.
On the other hand It became ap-
parent tonight that the study Of
the naval treaty text by individual
delegations was promising to con-
Isume more time than originally had
been allotted for it. Late today 1t
was decided to suspend plans for
tomorrow's committee meeting and
to hold the meeting of heads Of
delegations late tomorrow.
Tho ynaarnho,,F sbgv.
treated in the sub committee draft
of the treaty, would be settled by
limiting the armament of mer-
chantmen to six-inch guns and by
prohibiting the conversion of any
commercial vessel of more than
10000 tons into a naval auxiliary.
There was a general expects ton
that these provisions would be
finally accepted.
Plan laid Before Harding.
In American circles the relation
.of merchant shipping to the general.
naval question was discussed from
a new angle as a result of a sug-
gestion by Homer L. Ferguson,
head Of the Newport News Ship
building and Dry Dock company,
that the arms conference agree on
an ALLEGATION of shipping facilities
and opportunities. The proposal
was laid before President Harding
at a White House conference at
tended by Mr.. Ferguson, Chairman
Lasker, of the shipping hoard. and
Chairman <Jones, OF the senate
commerce committee. but there
appeared no immediate prospect
that 1t would receive administrator
approval.
Another question said to remain
undetermined in the tentative draft
of the treaty related to the build
ing Of warships within the iurisdic-
tion of the signatory powers, but
for the use of outside nations. Sew
eral alternative workings OF that
section are understood to have
been prepared
Questions in Abcyance.
Aside from Shantung, the Far
Eastern questions remaining In
abeyance relate chiefly to the Chi
nese railroads and to elements In
volved in China's request for abro-
cation of the agreements resulting
from the 'twenty-one demands" A
declaration Is to be made also with
respect to Siberia, but no great diff
ficulty Is expected in reaching an
agreement on that point, As an
advance suggestion. representatives
Of the conservative Russian wing
proposed informally today that the
inter-allied board now administer
ing the Chinese Eastern railway be
continued.
Both the Chinese and Japanese
implied tonight that new and
promising elements had been in
iected into the Shantung negotia-
tions.
DIR. SEE. Of the Chinese delega-
tion, declared Japan still seemed
'indisposed to avail ITSELF" of the
good offices of Secretary Hughes
and Mr.. Balfour. but added that
new avenues for possible settlement
are being explored None of the
avenues under discussion, he said,
led to Peking or Toxic, but were
all in Washington.
Vice Foreign Minister Hanihara,
speaking for japan. reiterated that
his delegation had gone as far as it
possibly. could so. but he added
that some new means" might be
devised for attaining q settlement.
Open Door Principle.
Asked about Japan's policy In
Shantung province with reference
to the open ctor, Mr.. Hanihara re-
iected any suggestion that appoint
ment of Japanese traffic manager
and chief accountant for the Shan
tung railway would mean such an