Evening star., 1922-01-20
zP4RLEY DISCUSSES CHINA
TREATIES AND RAHWAX VS.

legitimate existing rights, the future
development of railways in China
the Chinese government to effect the
unification of railways into a rail-
way system under Chinese control,
with such foreign financial and tech
essary in the interests of that sys-
tenn"
This resolution was indicative. he
said. of a general policy to aid In
the maintenance of a strong and
stable administration in China, and
Of suitable control Of the facilities
essential to such an administration
and to the prosperity Of the people.
OF course. it did not suggest the
slightest interference with any legiti-
mate existing rights.
Mr.. SEE stated. with reference to the
resolution now before the committee,
he wished to state the position of the
Chinese delegation, and he would.
therefore. read the following state
ment:
''The Chinese delegation notes with
sympathetic appreciation the express
sion of the hope of the powers that
the existing and future railways OF
China may be unified under the con-
troll and operation of the Chinese gov
ernment, with such foreign financial
needed. IL is our Intention as speed
lily as possible to bring about this re-
suit. 1t Is our purpose to develop ex-
listing and future railways In ac-
cordance with general program that
will meet the economic, industrial and
commercial requirements Of china. 1t
will be our policy to obtain such for
eign financial and technical assistance
as may be needed from the powers. In
, accordance with the principles of the
open door or equal opportunity; and
the friendly support of these powers
will be asked for the effort of the
Chinese government to bring all the
railways of China. now existing or to
be built, under its effective and uni
fled control and operation"
One Word Changed.
In regard to the wording of the
| resolution they had no suggestions to
offer; but they had one suggestion.
! meaning Of the resolution and was
made only with the desire to facili-
| tate its rendering into the Chinese
language, namely. that the word "co-
operation" in the next to the last line.
should be changed to assistance" He
hoped that this change would be agree
able to the chairman.
The chairman said that was quite
agreeable, and that the amendment
was accepted. He then asked If there
was a desire for further discussion.
Since there was not, the committee
proceeded to vote on the resolution,
and it was unanimously adopted.
| The chairman then asked if any
' subcommittee was ready. to report.
or if any of the matters which had
been referred were ready for sub
mission to the committee. He had
been informed by the secretary gen.
eral that the committee Of experts
| designated to act in relation to the
matter of the Chinese Eastern rail-
| way were to have a meeting late
that afternoon. Awaiting that report.
\ the committee might proceed to The
next topic upon the agenda-the
status of existing commitments in
| relation to China.
| The chairman said that it would
| be of service if they had a very clear
understanding. when the conference
| ended, OF the commitments which
were claimed to exist with respect to
! China 1t would be of great aid if it
| should be understood that the pow
ers represented at the conference had
, full knowledge of all commitments
which might thereafter be asserted.
/ or said to exist. and opportunity was
| now afforded for presentation of
these commitments, and for any dis
cussion such presentation might sug-
geSt
Explains Commitments.
Mr.. Koo said that he wished to make
a few observations with reference to
the STATUS of existing commitments
his colleagues that the commitments
entered into by China We're very nu-
merous, and this fact made it not
only desirab Bile, but necessary that all
the powers represented on the COM
mites should know the exact situa-
| ton not only in which China stood,
! but the situation in which the powers
! related to those commitments stood.
He had three suggestions to make.
| the first of which was that all the
powers who had any claim or claims
on China should make them known;
1t was desirable, in the opinion of the
| Chinese delegation, that the principle
of publicity should be applied to the
international commitments with ref
erence to China. 1t was not necessary
for him to dwell upon the principle of
publicity with regard to international
agreements; one of the points adopted
by all the powers participating in the
peace conference at Paris, as a basis
! of discussion and settlement, was that
| Of open covenants. 1t was no more
necessary to recall that article XVIII
tions provided that all international
engagements should be registered and
that. were they not SO registered they
should be considered invalid. He re-
| ferred to these points only in order to
show that the general consensus of
opinion regarded the. principle OF
/ publicity for international engage
ments as sound and useful one.
There were particularly urgent
grounds for observing the principle in
regard to China. When to the fact of
| the existence of such a large number
of commitments in regard to China was
| added the fact that many of these
commitments were entered into under
very uncertain circumstances - In
some cases claims had been based on
the letters or the verbal statements
| of single Chinese official, sometim es
not even of the central government
| the necessity would readily be seen
for clearing up the question of ex-
actly where China and the treaty
powers stood.
| Source of Suspicion.
| So long as any international en-
gagenent was kept secret, it was
| bound to give rise either to specula-
! tion or suspicion. If nothing was
known concerning it. the situation
other powers might unwittingly adop,
policies which ran counter to such Sc
cret engagements. If it was merely
. suspected that a commitment existed
/: the other powers were likely to adopt
policies with a view to counteracting
! the apprehended effect of such secret
agreement on their own interests.
From still another point Of view il
was very desirable that the inter
national commitments of and relat-
| ing to China should be known, for
without such knowledge it would be
! difficult for China either to satisfy
!. claims based upon such engagements
, or to contest them if she deemed them
i unfounded. Besides, the formulation
| by China of any sound economic or
| &.