Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1922-01-19
China Wins
at.
Conference
Hughes Resolution Defining
Open Door Unanimously
Accepted by Delegates
at Washington.
Take Up Railway Issue
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
O~sha U~s I<ss-~i uifs.

Washington. Jan. is-ANiih the
unanimous acceptance oi the Hughes
resolution reaifirming aud rcdcfining
the open door and providing for the
enforcement of that principle, the m-
icruationsl conference still further
enlarged the charter oi new freedom
being wrought for China.
Mr. Hughes then, without allow
ing the delegation any breathing
SPELL. plunged the conference into
consideration OF the reform OF the I
= NSlroad system in, China, this being
Wa ext subjee, listed on the agenda. |
&c question OF maintaining the 1
Fese Eastern railws- as a free
y OF commerce with no diserimi-
bn against shippers, which in
es alleged designs OF the Japa- |
{E 10 monopolize transportation in |
4 region, Mr.. Hughes caused to be |
7 ferred TO a committee OF experts. 1
Submit Resolutions.
The British ambassador Offered a
resolution providing that China aud
the other powers undertake TO abol-
ish all transportation discrimination /
IN China and Mr.. Hughes submitted /
another expressing the hope that /
China would unity its railways under /
Chinese control with such foreign
financial and technical cooperation
as may prove necessary.
On account OF the opposition OF /
Japan and France the Hughes OPEN
door resolution was not adopted in
is entirety. The fourth article under 1
which the validity OF existing con-
cessions in China could be referred
TO the international board. was with
drawn by Mr.. Hughes st the sugges-
ton of Sir Robert Borden OF Cam
ada. with the understanding that it
will be dismissed later at the instance
OF the Chinese delegation.
Fourth Article Unimportant.
The American delegation regards
the adoption OF the first three ar
ticles of the resolution as a distinct
triumph and pronounces the fourth
article unimportant. Under the three
articles adopted, the powers. includ-
ing China, agree TO end the granting
OF spheres Of influence in China and
OF monopolistic concessions and to
establish a board to which any ques-
ton Of compliance with the OPEN
doer principle may be referred tor
and report.
( Under the construction OF the
resolution by the American delega-
ton, it wal be still possible to bring
before The board any open-door
question involving existing conces-
sions, ;nrluding Japanese privileges.
wrested from China through the p
demands.
Bitter Pill for Japan. \
The Chinese resolution proved
bitter pill for the Japanese to swallow
and they squirnled good deal dur
ing the proceedings. Although they
have always maintained the fruits
OF 2l demands were not garnered II
violation OF the open door principle,
the Japanese ambassador desired to
have existing concessions exempted
from the application OF the iour.n
article and his attack ended IN with
drawal Of the article from immediate
consideration.
The Japanese ambassador secuted
the feasibility OF setting up. prac-
ticable board OF reference for open
door questions, but finally accepted |
tie provision. Then he endeavored
to establish that the Hughes resolp-
lions represent new open door pol
icv and that concessions granted
hitherto. though they might not con-
form to the new policy. were not N
conflict with the open door principle
as originally enunciated.
Mr.. Hughes met this japanese at
tempt TO preclude the application OF
the Hughes resolution to existing
concessions including the results OF
the 2l demands. The secretary as
serted there is no departure IN the
Hughes resolution from the open
door principle as it has been under
stood for 20 years.