The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-07
HUGHES AND
BALF0UR To
TAKE HAND?
British View Situation as
Delicate; Hesitate to
Intervene.

washington, Jan. T.-(By the AS
sociated Press. Arthur ]. Bal
four and Secretary Hughes, it was
said today by a British spokesman,
probably will await a joint request
from the Japanese and Chinese del
egates to the arms conference, to
mediate the Shantung dispute, be-
fore stepping into the breach
caused yesterday when the con-
versation between the two groups
came to an end after failing to
agree on terms of payment for the
kaio-Chow Tsinanfu railway.
Messrs Hughes and Balfour, the
spokesman said however, likely
would agree to meet the Chinese
delegation in response to its re-
quest made late yesterday. They
thus would receive the Chinese re-
public view on the situation.
The British view is that the sit
uation is so delicate that it would
be difficult for the British and
American delegation heads to in
terview at the instance of the Chi
nese without the Japanese joining
in the request. This, it was an
nounced, to the Chinese last night,
they were unwilling to do, al
though they said they had no OBJ
lection to the Chinese asking med
iation.
The Chinese delegation shortly
before noon, received an invitation
from Mr.. Balfour for a conference
late in the day. The delegation
said it had not received any reply
from Secretary Hughes to its re-
quest and did not believe that Mr..
Hughes would be present at the
conference with the British dele
cation head.
Later, it was learned that Secre-
tary Hughes had agreed TO see the
Chinese delegation informally at i
O'Clock this afternoon, regarding
the Shantung deadlock.
Naval Experts Meet.
Washington, Jan. 7.-(By the AS
sociated Press. AS the naval ex-
perts of the arms conference met
with the determination of conclud-
ing today the shaping of technical
details for the naval limitation
treaty, the armament committee
prepared to clear the way for final
framing of the treaty, with its al
lied pacts and declarations, proba-
bly, to be started on Monday. The
navy men toiled all day yesterday
over definitions to make clear the
agreements already reached in the
hope of finishing the task last
night, but without success.
For disposition by the full com
mittee prior to beginning the actual
framing of the limitation treaty
there remained today only the
American proposal presented yes
terday, to prescribe gas warfare on
sea or land among the five powers,
with all other nations invited 10
subscribe to the declaration as a
new principle of international law.
II appeared certain today that the
other powers would join Italy IN
giving approval to this project to
strip war in future of others OF the
horrors of German ingenuity let
loose on the world.
Chinese Seek Aid.
Adjourned sine die yesterday, the
fate of the Shantung negotiations
between the Japanese and Cnlnese
delegations appeared to hinge en-
tirely on the result Of the confer
ence today, which the latter had
requested with Arthur J. Balfour
and Secretary Hughes, to lay be-
fore them the situation now hold
ing the two delegations in dead
lock. Whether the further exercise
of their good Offices" under which
the conversations" were begun.
would serve to bring the two dele
cations together again in an effort
to settle their split On the matter
of payment for the kiao-Chow-
Tsinanfu railway, was uncertain.