The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-28
Administration Slow to Decide
on Debts Farley.
Reply to Italy's Invitation Held
Up to the White House.
AWAITS WORD FROM HARVEY
Arms Conference Activities
Center About Shantung.
Another Farley to Write Laws
of War Considered.

Washington, Jan. 2s.-A meeting OF
the Japanese and Chinese delegates to
draft into treaty form the points OF
agreement already reached in the
Shantung negotiations formed the
only event on the arms conference
calendar today.
Altho it was announced that tf5
central issue of the Using Tao railroad
would not be touched upon at the
meeting, the controversy over this ap-
peared today to have been narrowed
TO a point where development Of the
next day or two would clear the way
for final settlement.
While most of the other activities
of the conference were waiting on a
decision of the Shantung controversy.
the armament committee meanwhile
had formally agreed today on the CALI
ing of another international confer
ence to rewrite the laws of war for
the submarine and other new agencies
of attack on land and sea.
Seek Easy Way Out.
Washington, Jan. 2S.-President
Harding and his advisers are seeking
way to "get from under the pro-
posed Genoa economic conference
without offending either the Italian
government, which issued the invita-
tons, or the British government, the
principal sponsor.
This was the explanation put for
ward today in semi-official quarters
for the administrators unusual delay
in answering the invitation to the
Genoa meeting.
Pressure both for and against the
United States taking part in the
Genoa meeting is being exerted at the
White House daily. Dozens of letters
are being received advocating accept
ance and rejection of the invitation.
Administration Spokesman who
have sounded out congressional sentf-
ment declared today that opinion was
| unfavorable to American participa-
ton. 1t is known also that a major
| ity of the cabinet shares this view.
Slow to Commit United States.
The White House statement that
| the United States bears a relation to
the Genoa conference that is totally
\ different from that of any other ma :
flecting the administrations determi-
] nation to examine carefully every as
pect of the meeting before finally
committing the United States to any
/ policy.
Officials declared today it was un-
certain when a reply would be sent to
Rome, but certainly not until Col.
| George Harvey has concluded his con-
versations with officials of the new
Poincare ministry in France next
! Wtth anu nOI DCIOTe lne eTU OF HrD1d-
ment conference in Washington.
Extraordinary importance is at
tached in diplomatic quarters here to
tho mission of Col. Harvey to Paris.
French circles in Washington are hos
tile to the Genoa meeting. They re-
gard it with suspicion as a British
Italian move to rehabilitate Germany
and pave the way for the eventual
economic exploitation of Russia, in
which France would not be a major
participant.
To Hear From Harvey.
1t is expected that Colonel Harvey
will make a full report to President
Harding on this aspect of the meeting
after his conversations with Premier
! Poincare.
Meanwhile, events shaped steadily
toward the end of the Washington
conference. In some quarters the be-
lief was expressed that the conference
might be able to wind up its work by
the last of next week, but in others it
was stated that it probably would take
| longer than week to conclude.
President Harding's personal inter-
| Vention in the Shantung case was
translated into action today. A draft
| ing committee of Chinese and Japan
ese met to begin the actual drawing
| up of the Shantung treaty. Formal
announcement of the Shantung ques-
1 tiOn is expected on Monday