Evening star., 1922-01-21

second resolution. that they should
finish with that resolution. and there
fore. although he had something he
would like to say to his colleagues
on the first resolution, he would not
say it until the discussion on the
second resolution had terminated.
Wants China's Part E1Daicif.
On the second resolution he would
observe only this: The chairman had
resistible force. that China must
make herself a party to this general
arrangement. as he was sure China
would be quite ready to do: but II
that was to be the understanding ne
thought it was an understanding that
should be embodied In the document
itself and that the committee should
explicitly throw upon China as well
as upon the other powers the obltga-
tion Of taking It's fair share in this
effort toward publicity. which would
do SO much he felt. In the future to
purify the whole of these commercial
or semi commercial transactions.
Mr. Balfour asked if he might make
one further observation on this sec
ond paragraph. 1t aimed at giving
publicity to every transaction wh1ch
was over million dollars in amount:
He believed the ordinary practice or
the British legation in Peking and OF
British subjects was that these last
should notify the legation or the ror-
eign office Of all transactions of the
though there was no written law
upon the subject. he imagined that
q British national who did not IN
form the British legation that Ne was
making a contract would not expect
that legation to give him any dipIo-
matte support should any question on
1t arise thereafter.
Mr. Ralfour said he would like to
ask whether that wholesome rule
ought to require that publicity be
given to the terms Of relatively small
lransac-iuns He took 1t that mil
,r.n fcllars. when great contractors
'..-'rrr dealt with, and a great
government, counted among the small
-. ti.lIssac lions Of commerce. ana was
IL not a fact that commercial men
else terms of their contracts known:
not necessarily because there was
anything discreditab1e about them. or
anything of which they might be IN
the least ashamed. but because they
might ccnceivably involve some In
formation with regard to the prices
at which they were prepared to trans
act business which might be incon-
venient in the conduct Of their affairs
!. Would Ask Others to Sign.
Mr. Balfour hoped that with re-
gard to this second paragraph-and
this observation applied also to the
first-the committee would add two
provisions to this whole contract.
One he had already referred to. He
thought the committee should throw
upon China her fair share of the
legitimate obligation. and he felt
something more should be done; ne
felt that, as had been done in many
previous cases, nations not repre-
sented around this table should be
asked if they would agree to the
final form in which this document
might be embodied. He had no doubt
that that was the intention OF the
American delegation. He thought 1T
should be put in black and white,
and he did not doubt that that ac-
corded with their general policy.
Mr.. Balfour said that he had one
or two things to say upon the first
question. but he reserved those, IT he
might. until a later time.
The chairman said that 1t was the
intention that China should, Of
course, take her share in this obli-
CATION, and that should be expressed.
He was advised by the drafters that
this was the intention of the draft
in the words powers attending this
conference" but when the language
was examined closely it was found
to relate. in the first paragraph, to
agreements which the powers might
have with China or with other pow
ers in relation to China. 1t should
he specifically stated that this duty
Of communication was duty which
was to be discharged by China. as
well as by any other power concern
ed. OF course, the assumption Of that
obligation by ChiHa-and. he had no
doubt that it would be readily as