New-York tribune., 1922-01-18
Submits to Council Plan
to Scrap All Special
Rights III China That
Bar Equal Opportunity
Declares Policy Is
Fact, Not a Motto
Britain and Italy Stand
With Him, France and
Japan Ask for Delay
By Thomas Steep

WASHINGTON. Jan. 17.--Thc United
States presented to the conference"
committee on Pacific and Far Eastern
questions to-day comprehensive pro-
posal for concrete and literal ap-
riication of the opcn-door policy to
China. The plan proposes to sweep
away all foreign concessions. under
whatever circumstances or treaties
granted, which may be regarded AS vio-
lat:vc of tho open door principle, thus
the commitments she made to Japan
under the Mikado governments famous
twenty-one demands of 1915. 1t pro-
vides for an international board Of
reference, to sit in China, which shall
have power to review such foreign
concessions as appear inconsistent
with the open door Before this board
China would have the right to lay for
modification all the treaties which she
contends require her to yield rights to
one nation not enjoyed by others
Viewed by the Chinese delegates the
samtaa Amer1can IN Pproposal, WHICH Hl was pre-
SSbNSV bN 2tNictdlS Oi StdlC f1UEncS.
is the most constructive international
legislation ever offered in behalf of
China. Mr.. Hughes characterized it as
an effort "to convert the open door pol
icy from a motto into a fact 1t calls
upon all the powers to put into ,nmc-
date and concrete practice policy
which this country has adhered to since
il was initiated by John Hay in 1899
and which, twas held, has saved China
from the fate of partition after the
fashion of Africa.
Britain Supports Proposal
Sponsored by America in a speech
by Mr.. Hughes, the proposal received
at once the stanch support Of Great
Britain. Arthur J. Balfour and Sir
Auckland Geddes asserted that the
British Empire favored whole -heartcdly
the American plan for the rejuvenaton
of China and that it would give un-
Qualitiedly its approval to a proposal
which aimed to apply the open door lit
orally. Italy likewise offered it's sup
port. Albert Sarraut, the head of the
| French delegation, asked that his col
leagues be given more time to consider
F, the retroactive features of the proposal
He referred to the provision that exist
ing commitments may be reviewed by
the proposed board of reference.
Japan withheld its attitude. 1t was
stated BY the Japanese delegates that
Japan favored the open door ain prin-
ciple," but that any drastic scheme,
such as MIR. Hughes outlined, would
, necessarily have to be submitted to the
Toxic government before final an
swer could be given. The opinion pre-
vailed that Japan later will submit a
suggestion for modification of the
provision relating to the status of ex-
;ot,,o cor, t,nopfc hacouco on avo,,
ination of these commitments, accord
ing to the Chinese delegates, would
bring in the japanese concessions in
Manchuria, Eastern Mongolia and the
Yangtse Valley which were obtained
under the twenty-one demands.
1t was ut this state that the Far
Eastern committee adjourned until to-
morrow. when it is expected that dis
cussion by the delegates from the other
powers will be heard.
Text of Hughes Proposals
Secretary Hughes's proposals follow:
"1--With view to applying more
cffectually the principles of the open
door or equality of opportunity in
China for the trade and industry of
all nations, the powers other than
China represented at this Confer
cnce agree:
"(a) Not to seek or to support
their nationals in seeking any ar
rangement which might purport to
establish in favor of their interests
any general superiority of rights
with respect to commercial or eco
nomic development, in any designat-
ed region of China.
"(b) Not to seek or to support
their nationals in seeking any such
monopoly or preference as would de-
prive other nationals of the right of
undertaking any legitimate trade or
industry in China or of participating
with the Chinese government or with
any provincial government in any
category of public enterprise, or
which by reason of it's scope, dura-
tion or geographical extent is cal
culated to frustrate the practical ap-
plication of the principle of equal
opportunity.
at is understood that this agree
ment is not to be so construed as to
| prohibit the acquisition of such
properties or rights as may be neces-
sary to the conduct of a particular
commercial industrial or financial
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