Norwich bulletin., 1922-01-25
Arms Conference
 Is Nearing the End
Some Delegates Are Predict ing the Wind-Up Will Come Within a Week.

ing the Wind-Up Will
 Come Within a Week.
 Washington. Jan. 24.-(By the A. P.) Swinging into high speed again. the arms conference today made quick work of the Siberian question, virtually agreed on the sole remaining Issue of the na- va reduction plan completed a re-def- nltion of the scope of the four power Pacific treaty and pushed on toward solution of the Shantung tangle and va rious lesser problems
 So sweeping was the days progress that little save perfunctory detail re- dnained tonight to bring all the diverse tasks of the conference to silnultane- eus conclusion. Some of the more op- urnistic among the delegates were pre- dieting that the final windup would come within a week.
 In it's two day incursion into the Si- berIan field, the far eastern committee contented itself with listening to and spreading on the conference record, de tailed statements of the respective views of the Japanese and American governments. Japan's declaration dis clairne6 territorial designs in Russia, but set forth the reasons that impel her to keep troops in eastern Siberia. and the reply of the United States reiterated the desire that there would result no permanent infringement upon Russian integrity.
 Except for the French, who expressed confidence in the Japanese pledge to withdraw from Siberian soil as soon as stable conditions will permit no other delegation joined in the discussions. Sec retary Hughes proposed the readily eeI1ted resolution by which the item was Wiped off the conference program, to ap- pear no more until the pronouncements of the two governments are formally en- tered in the minutes of the next plenary session.
 The last difference over principle in the naval treaty, relating to the 5forti- fcatiens status quo in the Pacific. was swept aM in informal consultations am the chief delegates after it had held up completion of the treaty text for many days. Under the settlement. the British plan of defining a latitude and Longitude boundary Sfor the status quo zone is replaced by the Japanese sug- gestion that instead there be list, by name, of the islands which must not he further fortified. The Japanese agreed that the Japanese Bonin group should be included under the prohibition.
 A further cause for delay developed however, when the Japanese plenipoten- t4aries declared their desire to submit the Notifications article in exact phrase ology to Tokio for approval.
 l Re-defnition of the geographical scope Of the four power Pacific treaty, already signed, took the form of a series of notes which have been conpieted and I mutually approved by the four powers and will be formally exchanged for the record~abefore the Washington confer- ence ends They reverse the previous informal agreement of the delegates and provide that in constructing .the treaty hereafter the major Japanese islands. l including the Bonin group, shall not be 1 classed among the "insular possessions and dominions" to which the instrument applies.
 In the shantung negotiations between sl the Japanese and Chinese, 1t became apparent that outside pressure for 3 settlement was increasing as the two groups met to clear away various minor details of the points on which they al ready have agreed. The question of tht Tsingtao- -Tsinanfu railroad, now vir- tually the only undetermined issue, wa, : not touched upon at the meeting. By conference officials In close touci with the> progress of the American Brit lsh compromise effort. It was said to night that a settlement was very near
 Meantime, efforts to bring senatoria sentiment to bear to hasten the Shan tung negotiations failed after shor season of debate on the subject on tn senate floor. Without a record vote tn senate rejected the resolution of Sena tor Walsh, democrat, Montana, askins President Harding for inforpation as t the progress of the exchanges taking place between the Japanese and Chimes as side issue of the conference.
 Secretary Hughes presentation of tn yAmerican attitude toward Siberia va in. a prepared statement read to the ia eastern committee at the beginning O today's session. It expressed "specia gratifcation''g with the Japanese pledge presented yesterday, against infringe n1ent on the territorial integrity of Rus sia. Reciting the language of an Amer tcan note sent to Japan last May i
 which 1t was declared that continue Japanese occupation of Eastern Siberi tends rather to increase than to ala, the unrest and disorder in that region, the secretary continued that his govern
 ment desired to ''reiterate the hope tha lfapan will find 1t possible to carry oil within the near future her expressed in tention of terminating finally the Siber Ian expedition and of restoring Sakhalil to the Russian people," MT. Hughe then closed the debate by proposNg hi resolution and it was quickly adopted Its text follows:
 Resolved. that the statements by tn Japanese and American delegations il respect to the presence of foreign troop in Siberia be reported to the conferenc at it's next plenary session to be sprea, upon its records"
 | committee the topic of ''mandated isl ands'' also was wiped off the conference zgenda, Secretary Hughes explainin, that when the subject was listed, th' Nap controversy between the Unitet States and Japan had not been settled A resolution proposing to prohibit i'm portations of arms and ammunition in to China was presented by MT. Balfour but was withdrawn for the times beinI when the Italian and Netherlands dele gatiuns asked for delay to consul their governments. An abstract of tn Russo Chinese alliance which expiret 1 in 1911 was put into the record by tn Chinese but was not discussed.
 When the committee adjourned | was considering resolution by Elihl Root to create an international commis sion for study of the wireless communi cation problem in China
 | The Shantung negotiations propei were adjourned tonight until Thursda, In order to give free field tomorrow T fQr nf A~