The New York herald., 1922-01-13
BICFIVE NOT READY
| With NAVAL PLANS
Revision of Treaty Is Sent
Back to Experts for Re-
draft of Changes.
HALTS OPEN SESSION
Announcement of Program
Will Not Be Made I'm
til Next Week.
NEW SHANTUNG MOVE
Compromise Proposals Sent to
ToJr;o and pnkiuH g
HALTs OPEN SESSION
NEW sHANTUNG MOVE
Compromise Proposals Sent to
Toxic and Pekin-U. 8.
Mediation Predicted.

| WASHINGTON Jan. IL ASSOCIATED
Press. Further details Of both the
naval treaty and the Shantung nego-
| tiations were ironed out to-day, but
the arms delegates gave up hope OF a
pienery session this week to announce
definite results.
| The big five" completed its first
revision of the naval convention and
sent the text back to its legal experts
for redraft of the changes made. 1t
will meet again tomorrow, and vfr-
tually completed treaty may be ready
| for an executive session OF the full
naval committee on Saturday or Mon
| day.
In tie Shantung negotiations fur
ther supplemental agreements were
reached by the Japanese and Chinese,
and a new promise OF progress on the
central question Of the Tsingtao-
Tsinanfu railroad was held out by
series Of compromise proposals sug-
gested informally by Secretary Hughes
and Arthur ]. Balfour.
Included in the few treaty provisions
not yet finally accepted in the informal
conversations of the big five" are un-
derstood to be the sections relating TO
disposition Of scrappsd ships and fix
ing O status quo" for Pacific fortifica'
tions. On the former however. the
chief delegates are said to be In virtual
agreement while in regard to fortt-
fications the instructions awaited from
Toxic are generally expected to make
an early settlement possible.
| Would Save some Vessels.
| Although described by delegation
spokesman as representing no serious
divergence of viaws. the discussions
over methods of scrappinS have aroused
unusual interest among the naval ex-
perts OF the conference In their SUBJ
committee neport the experts recon-
mended that permission be given for
conversion of prescribed warships into
other types of craft. and they have
urged that the provision would repre-
sent a large financial saving because
of the necessity OF constructing new
vessels OF various classes In the naar
future.
Thus none of the five Powers has at
| present modern airplane carrier, and
the ratio agreement permits them to
build from two TO five each. II battle
ships partially complete but falling out
| side the list OF retained vessels could
| be remodeled into airplane carrier
| types, II Is argued, much Of the money
already spent on hulls could be saved.
Opposed to this is the view that to
convert, discarded battleships into an
other type OF war vessel would not be
in accord with the animating purpose Of
the Washington conference. This posi-
ton Is understood to have been taken
in the big Five" meetings by Secre-
| tary Hughes
Tho question of defining the geo
graphical scope of the Pacific fcrtifica-
tions article was described in authorita-
tive circles to-day as largely n matter
of finding the proper technical terminol-
ogy to carry out decisions already
reached. A reply from Toxic now is
expected by the Japanese by Sunday,
and they believe the tentative wording
worked out by the big Five" will be
accepted.
Originally the Notifications agree
ment provided that no island legitimate
lly within the Homeland" of the United
states or Japan should be affected by
the treaty. but that on all other islands
in the region of the Pacific fortifica-
tions should be kept in their present
status. When they came to details,
however, the plenipotentiaries found
that the Bonin Islands were held by tho
Japanese 10 be part OF the Japanese
Homeland" although tho japanese had
no objection to extending the status
quo" agreement so as to include tho
Bonin group.
To Define status Quo Zone.
In consequences an attempt now is in
progress to find q way to bring the
group within the scope OF the fortifica-
tions article without at tho same time
classifying II as outside the Japanese
homeland" The present proposal is to
attach TO the treaty map, with lines
drawn to Indicate in precisely what
zone the status quo" is to apply.
The line which has thus been drawn
to repesent the western boundary OF the
American Homeland" follows the inter-
national date line, roughly the 1goth
, meridian. leaving outside the Status
quo" the Aleutlsn Islands OF Alaska. is
well as Hawaii and Midway.
> Inc nature or the compromise sugges.
tions made by Secretary Hughes and Mr.
Balfour for settlement OF tho Shantuns
Railrosd problem is closely guarded. hui
I Il Is known that the alternative plan,
informally proposed and cabled by th.
= delegations to Toxic and Pekin con
template some measure of Japanese par
: ticipation In management OF the roat
: during the period given China 70 max,
1 payment for the property. Pendins
word from their capitals the Chimes,
4 and Japanese both arc rcserving judg
> ment regarding the suggestions.
In high official quarters there hay,
been indications that the American Gov
ernment regards the Shantung questio,
as one which should be settled to insur,
proper relations in the Far East. an,
/. II Is known that President Harding hal
kept himself closely informed Of de
velopmcnts in the negotiations II woul,
: not surprise some OF those in close toucl
o with the question II some proposition 10
o mediation by the President came out o
4 the Hughes -Balfour compromise move.
Y