Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-01-17
settlement OF
SHANTUNG ISSUE
BELIEVED NEAR
Only the Question Of Mines
and Salt Fields Remain
to Be Disposed of; Chi
neSe Tariff Settled.
(BS The Associated Press


Washington, Jan. 16 (by the
Associated Press. )--Final adop-
ton of the new Chinese tariff
agreement by the Far Eastern
committee; formal postponement
Of consideration of the famous
twenty-one demands imposed on
China by Japan in 1915 and of
the question of spheres Of influ-
ence. until the Shantung ques-
ton has been disposed of, and
re-affirmation by Secre t ar y
Hughes of the American "open
door" policy in China, marked
the resumption today by the
arms conference OF its study of
Far Eastern questions.
The Far Eastern committee had
not met since January 5, pend
ing efforts of the naval commit
tee to complete its work, Todays
meeting was called on short no
tice primarily to pass on the final
draft Of the tariff agreement.
Open Door in China.
With the tariff question dis
posed of, the nine powers repre-
scented in the committee took up
the question Of the open door
after Secretary Hughes had sug-
gested that consideration both of
the twenty-one demands and
spheres of influence be deferred
until the Shantung question was
disposed of outside the confer
ence by the Chinese and Japan
csc delegates.
Secretary Hughes, opening a
discussion Of the open door, sup
piled the other delegates copies
Of a definition" of an open door
policy regarding China for their
consideration. This, it was under
stood, was based on a note Sec
retary Hughes handed the Chi
nese minister here July J, con-
corning the rights disputed by
other powers, of the Federal Tel
egraph company an American
CORPORATION which had acquired
a concession for the erection OF
q wireless station In this note
the secretary re-affirmed the AM
erican policy regarding the open
door in China.
Some question arose during the
discussion as to whether the
"deffnition" should apply to pri-
vate enterprises, and at meet
ing Of the committee tomorrow
the discussion will be continued,
The British delegation, it is I'M
derstood, subscribed in principle
to the open door through Mr.,
Balfour.
Tariff Agreement.
Under the tariff agreement, the
tariff revision commission at
Shanghai shall Immediately re-
wise the schedule adopted in 1918
so that the custom duty shall be
an effective five per cent. This
revision shall be completed with
in four months and become effec-
tive within two months there
after.
A special conference. the agree
ment provides, composed Of the
powers, shall meet within three
months at China's request to pre-
pare the way for the abolition
of the Likcn (internal taxi with
view to granting China the
right to levy surfaces Of two and
one-half per cent on neeessaries
and five per cent on luxuries.
To keep the tariff schedule vi
to date, thus assuring an effective
rate, the agreement provides fol
II revision after four years and
again every seven years there
after. No mention is made Of re-
storing to China autonomy over
her tariff. as asked by the Chi
nese delegation in its ten points
presented when the arms con-
ference opened.
Agreement Adopted.
When the Chinese and Japan
! csc delegates met today to con-
tinue their Shantung converse
| lions, the agreement reached Sat
urday to restore to China the adj
ministration OF the Kiao-ChoN
leasehold, together with all docu'
ments necessary for its admins
tration formally was adopted. This
leaves only the question of mine!
and salt fields TO be disposed o.
with the exception of the question
OF control of the Tsingtao-Tsinanfl
railway.