New-York tribune., 1922-02-05

Pact Signed
On Shantling 2
Continued from paq. on

'"''NNffhtd' iNGILncT OIL tncSc GCIcHAtCS
would accept the proffered homer, so
the British and American statesmen.
each with smile indicating their
qualification over the successful out
como OF negotiation proposed by
themselves, sat down in the places as
signed them.
Baron Kato, Baron Shidehara and M.
nan'hara sa. on one side Of tho table.
racing them were DR.. Koo, Dr.. SIC and
Dr. Wang Chung Hui Half a dozen
ordinary pens were pressed into service
and the signing began. Four copies
were signed. Pcking and Toxic arc
each to keep one and ono each is to
D. kept BY the Chinese Minister 1T
TOXIC and the Japanese Minister at
Peklng. Five minutes scratching OF
pens finished the task The delegates
shcok hands. expressed their gratitude
to Mr.. Balfour and Mr.. hughes and
automobiles whizzed them away
Most significant of days events
from the standpoint Of Americas in
tercst in Far Eastern affairs was per
maps the spreading on the minutes Of
TINS governments protests regarding
two situations involving Japan. One
was the emphatic declaration by Mr.
Hughes that This country expects Japan
TO keep her pledge to withdraw Japan
csc troops from Siberia.
All Notes Put on Record
All the State Departments notes
since 1918 bearing on the question of
foreign invasion of Siberia, and par
previously made public by Mr.. Hughes,
were spread upon the conference min
utcs as expressing the views of the
nine powers. including Japan herself
The effect of this is a written stipula-
tion that Japan must get out of Siberia
within a reasonable time and that she
must not mcddlc with Russia's internal
affairs.
Similarly there was spread on the
record this country's attitude in re-
gard to the tyentyone demands. Mr..
Hughes had explicitly stated that the
United States, while grati6cd with
Japan's surrender of the most oppres-
sive features of the demands. has not
reccded from its position that Japan
must not expect to enjoy rights in
Manchuria and Mongolia not extended
to the nationals of this and other gov
crnments.
Tucked away in tho nine power
treaty is another provision aimed to
protect China from secret treaties and
concessions wrung from her under
threats of punishment. No one knew
until to-day that such a provision was
contemplated 1t enables China to take
before the powers at once any acS by
foreign power Of which she may have
reason to be suspicious. The provision
is known as Article VII. 1t reads as
follows:
"The contracting powers agree that,
whenever situation arises which, in
the opinion of an: cnc vs them. in
wolves tho application of the stipula-
tlon of the present treaty, and renders
desirable discussion of such applica-
ton, there shall be full and frank COM
munication between the contracting
powers concerned"
Treaty Greatest Achievement
Unque tionably the nine power treaty
is by far the greatest achievement yet
attained in Americas long fight as the
guardian of China. Hitherto the prin-
ciples of the open door and territorial
integrity have, in the words of Mr..
Hughes, been too often regarded as
mere platitudes. They have been guar
antecd to China in no less than twenty
eight different treaties, and it has be-
come proverbial that whenever for
eign power desired A slice Of China she
first guaranteed China's territorial in
tegrity.
Now it is different Not only is each
power pledged to support those prn-
ciples, but they are pledged Jointly,
and China has the right to call on any
of them to sec that no one nation i'm
poses or her.
Ten articles, with many clauses, are
embodied in the treaty. They provide
for literal application Of Americas
policies, the publication of all secret
treaties now existing and prohibi
future. Foreign cooperation in an
effort to enable China to disentanglc
herself from her present chaotic con-
dition and the most unhampercd oppor-
tunty for her to prosper in the enjoy
ment of absolute autonomy arc stipu-
lated.
Board of Reference Provided
In this connection the action of the
confereD"e in establishing board Of
reference is noted The board will be
a. continuing body. It's functions are
described in resolution adopted by
III part:
"There shall be established n China
board of reference to which any
question arising in connection with
the execution of the aforesaid artc. es
may BE referred for investigation and
report.
The special conference provided in
Article 2 at the treaty to be signed
at Washington on February s, 1922,
with reference to the Chinese customs
tariff shall formulate for the approval
of the powers concerned detailed plan
for the constitution of the board"
Why the powers found it necessary
to provide special treaty on Chinese
tariff was explained by Senator Under
wood, the author of the measure de-
signed to give China more revenue.
Senator Underwood said it might seem
an anomaly to extend full sovereignty
with one hand and with the other pre-
scribe how much tariff she shall collect.
He explained that since 1S42 China S
tariff had been limited to 5 per cent,
but that with changes in prices she
was not able to collect that much.
Under the present upset condition in
China, he said, it was found agreeable
even to the Chinese delegates that the
powers should continue to control her
customs revenue, but on more liberal
scale than formerly and also with a
view of removing limitations altogether
in the future.
Expect China to Aid Self
Hope that China herself will remove
the causes of her weakness pervaded
the transactions. Mr.. Balfour said
"China must work out her own destiny
in the course Of changes in changing
world. All we can DO is to extend our
cid" Baron Shidehara said Japan has
more at stake in China than any other