The New York herald., 1922-01-20
BARS SECRET PACTS
that AFFECT China
U. S. Wins Consent of Powers
to Listing All Agreements
Made in Past.
ARTICLE 4 IN 'ABEYANCE'
Britain Has Not Abandoned 1t
Japan Gives Up Two
Cable Lines.
Special Dispatch to The New YcFK HnrALD.

| Spectdl DtspCtch TO THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c., Jan. 10.
The American delegation scored to-
day by inducing the Far Eastern COM
mittee of the Conference for the Limi-
tation of Armament to consent to a
complete listing of all commitments
dealing with or having reference to
China. While no formal vote was
taken in the committee the trend Of
, the argument indicated the Powers
had agreed to consent to this impor-
tant program. The list of treaties and
| understandings is now being pre-
pared and will be submitted at the
earliest possible moment.
This action, following on the heels
OF the elimination of Article ~. of
the Hughes resolution defining the
"open door," is considered part Of the
policy which prompted the American
delegation to agree to the tinkering
with that article.
Every agreement or commitment,
according to this program, will be SUBJ
mitted to the secretary-general Of the
conference so the world may know
Just what has been undertaken in the
Far East with reference to or con-
cerning China. This decision was
reached under the head OF existing
commitments" as listed in the agenda.
Blocks Secret Agreements.
The purpose OF this action Is not to
pass Judgment on these commitments
during the present conference but TO
have them published so the world will
know what undertakings exist and to
make it impossible to submit secret
agreements in the future. 1t is assumed
no Power will submit agreements OF this
character which are not susceptible OF
defense. Included will be the Lansing
IshIi agreement entered into by this
country with Japan during the war. and
which has received contrary definitions
by both the Japanese and American
Governments.
The understanding to list these agree
ments does not restore the retroactive
features of Article ". of the Hughes
resolution and seemingly registers aban-
donment of any attempt to probe into
past agreements. AS explained by an
American spokesman. the past is some-
thing for which this conference Is not
responsible, but the future is in the
Tkeeping of the nations represented here.
In dealing with the future 1t follows
that the past must be known. and under
this arrangement the Powers undertake
to put all their cards on the table.
This applies especially to the Lansing
Ishii agreement which the japanese
have interpreted has given them special
rights in contiguous territory. The
American position is that these special
rights, accorded on the ground of pro-
pinquity. are economic ones, incident to
cheaper haulage. to lingual and cultural
sympathy. giving the nearby Power
certain economic advantage In this re-
spect alone.
China Joins In Move.
The Americans refuse to recognize IN
the Lansing Ishn agreements any spe-
cial rights which conflict with the open
door principle, or which would estab-
lish any paramount interest either eco
nomic or political on the part OF Japan
in the territory of Asia abutting het
shores.
In agreeing to submit all existing
commitments to the conference for
world inspection China joins. and among
other things has undertaken to submit
for inspection the secret treaty which
she had with Russia out OF which have
grown many of the present day Far
Eastern arrangements. This treaty ex-
pired In 1911. The agreement will bind
all of the Powers to submit any secret
agreements they may have among them
selves relative to the Far East.
The informal decision reached to-day
to file these existing commitments does
not eliminate the possibility of the re-
suscitation OF Article Nv. of the Hughes
resolution defining the open door
which China aims to bring about and
which the Italian delegation. II was
stated to-day, will assist in accom-
plshing
IL was pointed out again to-day that
this conference Is one whose decisions
require unanimous consent. that each of
the nations involved Is Independent. and
there is nothing in the purposs Of the
American delegation. or so far as is
known OF any other delegation, TO sup
port commitments which will interfere
with the right OF the nations to deal
with any unforeseen contingency as IL
pleases whenever Il shall arise.
II was made clear that even X Ar
ticle ~. had been adopted reference
under its provisions Of any Of the com
nitments aimed at tho machinery,
which II Is planned TO create in China
would have been voluntary with the
parties making tho submission.
The American delegation. II was ex-
planned, abandoned Article Four be-
cause II did not deem II essential In
the first place. and recondly because its
retention would have rendered adoption
OF Article I. III and III highly improb-
able Accordingly the nonesscntial was
sacrificed for the essential. II Is the
view of the American delegation that
when the entire conference is seen in
retrospect the adoption of the Hughes