The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-01-24
Japan Pledges Herself
"In Principle" To Equal
Rights Of All Nations
To Trade With. .he Rus
sian and Chinese People
Shantung Question
Almost Settled

Washington, Jan. 24.-(By the As
SOciated Press. Virtual settlement
OF the Siberian question so far as the
Washington arms conference Is con-
cGrned was understood to have been
reached today mt the meeting Of the
Far Eastern committee with the ac-
ccptance OF the Japanese statement
promising complete withdrawal from
Russian territory upon establishment
OF IL stable government.
Secretary Hughes made statement
OF the position OF the United States In
the course of which he was UNDER
stood to have reaffirmed the policy Of
the American government as against
territorial aggression. ~
An agreement on the Pacific island
fOrtificatiOnS questions under which
the BOnin Islands adjacent to Japan,
are not to be fortified, also was re.
ported to have been reached. 81
Japanese delegates, il was said,
agreed to final drafting of the naval
treaty to include Il clause prohibiting
Qualifications OF the BOnin Islands.
The treaty clause containing u de.
ScriptiOn of the Pacific Islands which
should net be fortified was said TO
have reached the point of final draft
ing.
Washington, Jan 24.-(By the AS
sociated Press. disposal without
extended discussion OF the whole ST.
barian problem on the basis of the
Japanese pledges regarding the pur.
pose of that country in maintaining
troops there was generally predicted
today when the arms conference far
eastern committee met to hear the re-
plies of the other powers to the Japa-
Eese declaration
Baron Shidehara's statement of the
Japanese policy yesterday, in which
he disclaimed for his county any de-
signs against the territorial integrity
of Russia and declared its intention
OF Withdrawing the Japanese troops
in Siberia as sooa as orderly condi-
tions are restored%apparently was re-
ceived with satisfaction generally
among the other delegations. There
was no indication today that any of
! the other powers were disposed to Sc
r!Ously dispute the plan of continu-
ing, fer the present, the Japanese oc-
cupation. The American government
was understood not only to have been
deeply impressed with the Japanese
statement but also disposed to regard
it as a solid pledge behind which the
conference could not properly go.
The Japanese pledge as put before
the COMMITTEES by Barren Shidehara
also declared it to be the fixed policy
OF that country to observe the princi-
pal of non-intervention in the inter-
national affairs of Russia as well as
the principal Of equal opportunity
for the comm rec and industry of all
nations in every part of the Russian
possessions. Adequate protection in
Siberia was declared to be the only
condition for withdrawal there.
The Shantung controversy today
had been reduced virtually to the
single point of difference over the
Tsingtao railway by agreement be-
tween the Japanese and Chinese yes
t rday for China's purchase of the
salt mines of the province Although
it was said further details outside of
the railroad issue remained to be
considered at today's meeting, it was
though possible that the latter ques-
tion itself might come up for discus
sion