The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-26
AID OF PRESIDENT
SOUGHT TO SETTLE
SHANTUNG AFFAIR
President Harding Urges Chi
nese to Accept the Latest
Compromise Offer Made.
SUCCESS RESTS LARGELY
WITH PEKING GOVERNMENT
Plan of Settlement Deals Only
With the Return of the
Tsintoa- -Tsinafu Railroad.
tsy The AsaoeIated Press

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-The air OF
President Harding has been enlisted
by the arms delegates to bring Japan
and China into agreement on Shan
tung.
Taking q direct hand in the Wash
ington negotiations for the first time,
the president today urged the Chinese
to accept the latest compromise offer
and thus remove from the field of
controversy a subject which has be-
come serious barrier to the progress
OF the whole conference.
Whether the move is to succeed ap-
pears to rest largely with Peking The
Japanese already have indicated in
formally their willingness to make the
principal concessions proposed and
the president approached the Chinese
only after the Japanese ambassador
had informed the state department
that his government was ready to ac-
cept tender of good offices.
The settlement plan sponsored by
Mr.. Harding deals only with the re-
turn of the Tsingtao-p psinanfu rail-
road, substantially all other questions
having been agreed upon in the sep
nese and Chinese. Under the proposal
Japan would abandon her proposition
for loan to China, and the latter
would purchase the road with treas
ury notes payable at option five to fif-
teen years hence. China would re-
ceive possessions w(saain five years,
but would withdraw her opposition to
retention of Japanese traffic man
ager and chief accountant during the
period of payment.
Although several days may be re-
quired to reach a final decision, one
immediate effect of the days develop
ments was TO bring into reief the i'm
portance of Shantung in the general
scheme OF conference accomplish
ments. AS the negotiations have been
drawing to a close the eyes OF the
delegates have turned more and more
frequently to the simmering feud over
Kiaochow and it is privately admitted
that 1t is not by accident the big is
sues of the conference stand halted
just short of conclusion. 1t is an open
secret that until Shantung Is settled,
most of the commitments partially
entered into here must remain indef-
mite.
The naval treaty, complete except
for the fortification article was given
another minute examination today by
the committee of fifteen, but no
changes were made. 1t now is regard
ed as probable by some delegates that
no word regarding the forLiIcations
proposal will come from Toxic before
next week, although the Japanese gov
eminent already has given its ap-
proval to all but details of the ar
ticles s text.
Todays meeting of the far eastern
committee was equally inconclusive,
the delegates debating without final
action the situation of wireless facili-
ties In China. 1t was voted to recon
slider a resolution adopted on Decem-
ber to restrict use of wireless plants,
and after Elthu Root had presented a.
substitute for his proposal of yester-
day, the whole subject was referred to
a subcommittee. At a meeting later
in the day, the subcommittee likewise
discussed the various proposed resolu-
tions with action.
Another subcommittee, however,
considering the plan for an interna-
tional conference on rules OF warfare,
virtually decided to leave the confer
ence call to be issued by the American
government with the understanding
that some European city be selected
as the place of meeting. It was the
sense of the subcommittee that the
conference should take place within
the next three months.