Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-21
FAR EAST PROBLEM
NEARING SOLUTION
Secretary Hughes Proposal Is
Accepted IN Principle" by
Other Powers
JAPAN ASKS MORE TIME

Washington, Jan. ~ -DeSnite aueS-
lions raised rs 10 tho practicnbility of
some Of its provisions. further dis
cussion today By tho Arms Confer.
ence Far Eastern Committee Of the
American proposal for publication Of al
treaties and understandings violating to
China was expected in American quar-
ters 10 clear tho way for it's formal
. adoption.
Agreed n lin principe, final nC-
ZION on the proposal, ms presented in a
resolution yesterday bv Secretary
Hughes. was prrparNh ~ the suggcS-
tion Of Japan nGt"r nm extended debate
on tho provision 10 inr'udc ~ all the
published list oI commitments tho vari
Gus commercial agreements entered
into between Chinese nuthortIcs and
private individuals abroad. The .Iap
ancsc suggested that II mi;nr bc difficult
for tho foreign Govr"nmcntS 10 secure
a como'ctc Ii>t 81 such understandings.
since thcy worc not themselves parties
70 them AMI indicated that they dc
sired 10 communicate further with
Toxic before innl'y accepting this pro.
vision
China ASKED 10 F'i'c Commitments
Tho resolution H. presented by ScC.
retary iTuChcH provided that all tho
Powers filr with the secretary general
Of tho Conference at their earliest con .
rcnicncC, all existing commitments re.
carding China to which they are parties
Or Of which they have knowledge and
also thereafter any new agrccmC n
within sixty days after consummat ion.
An amendment was proposed by SCcrr
tsry Hughes during the debate by which
the thncYc tiOvCrnmCnt on it, ra?i
would undertake" - I ,vC prompt uOtih.
cation Of all existing and future agree.
ments OF which II had knowledge.
Acceptance Of tho sub committee plan
for another international gathering II
the near future probably 10 convene II
Washington. to discuss the quest ion u
revision OF rules Of warfare. appcarc,
10 bc assured today by III" iavurab',
sentiment manifest among ia" vatimu
delegations. Though on the agcndn -
the present Conference tn" rIb commit
tee was said - have concluded tia
there was neither time nov >ufirru
material for it, adequate onsjdCrariun
During the debates yesterday ii wa
Indicated the views uf III" AmC"i"ur
delegation in respect Of th" resolution
and what it t. expected t. accom-
plish are:
"If treaty or rOntrpo, i listed
the Powers viii thereby got information
Of il. If they have not known OF il be-,
fore. Ii It should bc uf the norma
sort. II is binding; II not pf that sort
it is not binding. II would be interest
ing 10 see treaty or contract OF tha
sort di. closed. 1t possibly would not b.
disclosed. and not even be- asserted a
any time 1t would come automaticull,
to an end II II should not bc listed. Iha
ia tho real value Of the r"SUlutiOn--u
listing.
LEGALITY 10 Be Scrutiniled
"It IA desired TO know whether au
claim ,ct up has icgal,Gcd form or moi
Those Inruments might not be listed be
fore the present Conference closes Bu
that is not u matter Of serious COnccr
one Way or Inothcr. When they AZ
listed and II document T.. ,",H not 70 b
treaty or contract, or ii there shout
he a question about il, thr"e viii be tn
same opportunity for considering til
question. The probability i that sue
things, without basis, would b" aban
doned.
"If there should he n!,a.IcCncn
there aIN always the same ways
settlement. \ diS;HItr ,rr'ld be diS
cuSsed. the parties could night. III,
might drop it, Or they might agrc"
arhitratr.
"If there should br .omcluiug til;
violated UniteI States treaty. tn
Government would p'"lrst. Those thinl
are inherent II mlr,uationa, lclati"I
The great point mdrr til, resolution
that everything viii be- hnown. broug
thN nitpptipu of world
'The real point *. that when ),
como to engagements where. nS Chin
has done und GOtHIng IN ih" NDr
that this Courcrcm"" might d" "ou
protect China against h"rsc' f--rlSh
are given away legally. they cannot
dissolved un csS tn" Dnrly cni wing the
will give them MP: but ,urr5Sc III
China had not done auyrhIng 90 {
kind and n calm /" put up thar has
basis whatever. Il claim "f prriPrcn
or the like. the assertion Of light
virtue Of sphere Of nfupn"s--if an
thing of that kind j. done We want
know Of II. and the "hHr""- ar" III
nothing # thar kind "i'l b. asserted
Basis OF Claim I" i;c KnOwn
"In nroyidins for the listing Of ta'
things it is not merely matt'r "f e.
ting information 81 what Is claimed. h
also Of tho basis on which the claim
asserted IN legal cArcrrn"" it is oft
tho case that Wh"n Gains have I"
listed there are eliminated claims h
are st1tcl IN tho comp atmi.
"AunthcrI"lul j. that when ono du
not list ono5 haa net gDI. Thn' !.
potent thirg in ij,rf Wh"'hc" n
Conference Is iu sos. ion ~ no. I
s.crctariai general. which has {" pr
pare reports Of tuC uro"" 'd'nGS. can =
q sl