The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-05
Agreement of Powers on Inter
probation Removes Obstacle.
Other CIarificatiOnS Considered
Tho Nature Not Made Clear.
CHINESE HOPES ARE DASHED
Final Quietus Being Given to
the "Twenty-One Demands
Deadlock on Shantung Problem
Shows No Sign of Break.

Washington, Jan. 5.-While the ar
mameRt conference turned in the
home stretch today on adjustment of
naval limitation and Chinese matters,
it became known officially that an
agreement has been reached between
the. United States. Great Britain, ia
pan and France to exclude the main
land of Japan from the provisions of
the four-powered Pacific treaty. thus
removing one of the chief causes of
senatorial opposition to it.
According to official British sources,
the understanding will be consolidated
by means of a series of international
clarifying" notes, rough drafts of
by the powers.
Qualifications Not Made Clear.
Other Qualifications of the pact
aside from that referring specifically
to the japanese mainland may be in
corpOrated in the understanding In
formal conversations are now going
on with regard to these and it is eX-
pected that they will be concluded by
January IA, the date on which A. j.
Balfour, head of the British delega-
ton, plans to return to England.
The character of these other clarifl-
cations, if any are to be agreed upon,
was not made clear today, but it was
predicted in responsible quarters that
by the time the treaty is submitted
to the United States senate it will be
in such shape as to remove nearly all
the senatorial opposition except that
OF the out-and-out irreconcilables.
May Increase Chinese Tariff.
At a meeting of the Far East COM
rnittee today, the powers formally rati-
fled the proposal granting China
per cent tariff. 1t was also agreed
fr7frrr
date be raised to ~ per cent and
even to 121a, conditional upon the
Iikin (internal) tax being removed. A
tariff commission will sit in Pelxin next
summer to consider the increases
above per cent.
Fear Shantung Deadlock.
With all other problems of the arms
conference rapidly moving toward the
point Of final settlement the Shan
tung negotiations between the Jap
anese and Chinese delegations alone
today presented d dubious aspect as
to whether their resumption is to re-
suit in agreement or a final deadlock.
While the far eastern committee of
the whole met today to take action
on the decision of its subcommittee
on the Chinese tariff question, the two
delegations faced another meeting in
their effort to settle the controversy
which has developed over the mode
of payment for the Kiao Chow
Tsinanfu railroad in the former Ger
man leasehold.
Progress in Sight.
Shaken out of the lethargy that has
prevailed for some days, the arma-
ment conference resumed activities all
along the line today and material
progress was in sight in both naval
and Far Eastern matters.
A plenary session of the conference
was in sight for Saturday when the
Far East committee resumed it's ses-
sions today after three weeks stale
mate.
The principal business of the open
session Will be the submission and for
mai approval of the naval treaty be-
tween the five powers, all points now
having been agreed upon except that
pertaining to the use of submarines.
An effort probably will be made to-
day to whip a submarine agreement
into shape for Incorporation in the
treaty and If it fails today, it will be
tackled again tomorrow.
Will Retain Submarines.
Submarines will be retained as
weapons of future warfare despite the
determined fight waged by Great
Britain for their abolition, but restric-
tions will be placed about their use
so as to confine their activities to war
vessels
NtlA A4llS pOlIlls SIlaIp QllIeTenCeS OF
opinion are held as to what consti-
tutes a war vessel and a merchant
vessel. The French, japanese and
Italians want to know whether the
placing of guns on merchant ships
does not convert them into warships,
and they planned today to make the
conference go on record in the matter
1t is likely to lead to some acrimonious
debate.
End of Chinese Hopes.
Today may see the final quietus put
on China's hopes of getting the world
to consider the validity of the twenty
one Chinese demands, which were
forced on her in 1915 under an ulti-
matum from Toxic.
The conference does not intend 10
consider the righteousness of these
demands under which Japan gained
for herself a dominant position in
some of China's richest territory. and
if the Chinese delegates in Washing
ton insist on renewing their contest.
the conference powers will tell them
so flatly.
Cannot Tear Up Treaties.
A British spokesman summed the
conference attitude on the twenty-one
demands by stating today: "Ap
agreement is in sight to give China as
large measure of her independence
as she herself has not given away.
TT is the position OF the mowers
here that China signed the treaties
Incorporating the twenty-one de-
mands. They have been in force five
years and it is too late now to risk
the success of the parIey by tearing
up these treaties
The principal business before the
Far East commission was the ratifica-