Evening star., 1922-01-18

which had embarrassed the commit
tee in dealing with the propositions
heretofore advanced; for example
those very broad provisions of the
ing the sovereignty, the independence
and territorial integrity Of China, ana
the statement which related to the
open' door itself. 1t was evident
that in the application of these prin-
ciples. there might easily be tran
which would give rise to dlf-
terent points of view and as to which
it would be highly desirable that
there should be opportunity for con.
sultations, for an interchange OF
views, and for efforts to reach a clear
Main Point OF Resolution.
The main point of this resolution
was this: That the powers agreeing
to it would not undertake for them
selves or their nationals to estaDlish
In regions of China q general supe-
of rights. OF course, anything
the committee did would be nv insena ha
assumed that it might be difficult
he was not desirous TO
press this particular form OF ex-
preston upon the delegates) to find
q form which would more clearly
give the idea Of what had interfered
with the application OF the open door
principle. In other words, there was
q great difference between a par
enterprise. a particular under.
taking of commerce or indsutry, ana
the assertion, or the endeavor to oD.
tain q position from which 1t could
be asserted, that one power or its
nationals had a general superiority
Of right in any region OF China
With regard to the point that
patents. trade marks. copyrights and
mining permits represented q phase
Of monopolistic endeavor, quoad noe,
was, of course, well taken, but ne
assumed that 1t was certainly WITHIN
the intention and, he would suppose,
within the form of expression that
those particular rights would be EN-,
braced in the particular comm erciai
or industrial undertaking with Whlcn
it was not the purpose OF THIS asI
ment to interfere. For example; ~
an opportunity to obtain patent rights
or copyrights, such as inventors or
authors enjoyed in this country. or
other countries. the fact that any IN
ventor or author had that opportunity
and when he made use OF 1t, accord
tent a monopoly was not in any true
sense an exclusion Of anybody else
who had the same opportunity Win
respect to the same sort OF enterplise
under the same rules which were gen.
orally applicable.
ticular province or region OF China
no one should obtain patents except
the nationals of q particular power
or that no one should enjoy the op.
portunity to have this or that sort
Of enterprise save one power. or us It's
created involving an assertion OF an
preference or superiority OF
privilege which would be utterly IN
with the open door prin :
ciple. He granted the dimculty OF
stating that precisely. Amy improve,
be welcome. The main point was tnat
when it came to dealing with this
question of concessions and monopo-
lies and preferential economic prlvl'
leEes, a clear understanding snoulo'
If possible, be arrived at by this con
ference which would promote the
friendly relations which existed De.
tween the powers represented ana
the spirit Of friendly cooperation
which had so happily been in evil
dence.
views Of Mr. Balfour.
Mr.. Balfour said:
'tMr. chairman, canot help think
ing that the British delegation has
the discussion Of this pro.
posai from a somewhat different
from that which you have
Just explained. We had thought that
the principles on which you have SC
dwelt were already COM
pletely accepted. We understood that
there was no representative OF any
power around this table who thuoght
that the old practice Of Spheres OF
influence was either advocated by
any government or would be toler-
able to this conference. So far as the
British government is concerned we
have, in the most formal manner
announced that we regarded
this practice as utterly Inappropriate
that the phraseology used in the
earlier part of this resolution admir-.
ably expresses the view that that
system has not only gone. but has
gone forever. and is now explicitly
The words general su-
periority of rights with respect to
or economic development
happily designed, as think. to de-
scribe the system of Spheres of In
huence': and the reputation Of that
system is as clear and unmistakable
as we could possibly desire. But we
had supposed that all this had been
already discussed and decided. Sir
Auckland Geddes, therefore, devoted
~ OSdlII8 uOl Will lHcSc 6cus
thought them beside our
present purpose-but to seeing how
they would affect the actual. prac-
tical development Of Industrial and
economic effort in China.
AS regards most industrial enter
prises. no dificulty arises. The diff
iculty only arises when you come to
ably involves q monopolistic flavor,
for example. q railway. Nobody is
going to give money to build rail-
way II another railway is going to
be built parallel to it at five miles
distant. Here. therefore, there must
pc q monopoly; no doubt of a very
limited kind. but still a monopoly.
Again, no one Is going to set up
! telephone system or a telegraph
system If another telegraph or teie-
phone system is in the same area,
precisely the same demand, is
to be set up by q rival company. OF
course, there are many enterprises of
this character. As I understand 1t,
the words at the end Of your resolu-
and I have no doubt that
in many cases they do SO deal. But
the point Is. do they deal with all Of
Them? And do they deal with them In
such manner as to prevent interna-
tional disputes? It was to this and
subjects that Sir Auckland
Geddes in the main addressed him.
self. He did not dwell on the principle
which Is expressed with such lucidity
and vigor in the first part of the
for on this we are all
agreed. But on its practical applica-
ton. some further consideration does
seem necessary, and I doubt not will
be accorded"
Discussion Co.elnAed for Day.
that the committee could go much
further in the discussion Of this mat
ter. He would say merely one word.
He quite appreciated what Mr.. Bal
four had said. while the committee