The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-24
HARDING AGAINST
CUT IN U. S. Land
FORCE RIGHT NOW
President Declares World Too
Restless at This Time.
Present Strength of 100000
Meets Present Needs.
SIBERIAN PROBLEM SOLVED
Japanese Pledge Entirely Salts
factory to Conference.
Final Drafting of Naval Treaty
Is Agreed Upon.
SIBERIAN PROBLEM SOLVED
japanese Pledge Entirely Salts
factory to Conference.
Final Drafting of Naval Treaty
Is Agreed Upon.
tBy the Associated Press)

W dSQlnRLOn, Jan Z4.-AiilO L ES47
dent Harding believes that the work
of the Washington conference event
ually will lead to reduction Of both
naval and land armament, he is not
prepared now to recommend any rad
zeal reduction in the land forces OF
the United States.
It was said today at the White
House that congress might with the
presidents approval make some mod
est reductions" below the present
10000 limit of the American army
but that the administration would not
give its approval to any reductlon
which would bring the army below the
point of absolute national safety.
World Is Too Rcstive.
In adopting that attitude Mr.. Hard
ing is said to recognize that the world
still is in a state of unrest having
fallen far short of complete recovery
from the effect of the war. He is also
said to feel that if the nations of
Europe were to reduce their war
armies to the same degree as has al
ready been done by this government
the world situation would be greatly
changed.
An army approximating the present
strength of $50, 900 the president is
said to believe represents a proper
example to the world. He feels 1t is
said that Russia, with her halr mil
lion or more effectives, does not rep
resent such an example, but rather
presents poor picture of what great
democracy should do.
Siberia Virtually Settled.
Virtual settlement of the Siberian
question so far as the Washington
arms conference is concerned, was un-
derstood to have been reached today
at the meeting of the Far Eastern
committee with the acceptance of the
Japanese statement promising COM
plete withdrawal from Russian terri
tory upon establishment of stable
government there
Secretary Hughes made a state
ment of the position of the United
States in the course of which he was
understood to have reaffirmed the
policy of the American government as
against territorial aggression. Agree
ment on the Pacific island fortifica-
tion question under which the BOnin
islands adjacent to Japan are not to be
fortified. also was reported to have
been reached.
Japanese delegates. it was said.
agreed to final drafting of the naval
treaty to include a clause prohibiting
Qualifications of the Bonin islands.
The treaty clause containing a descrip-
tion of the Pacific islands which
should not be fortified was said to
have reached the point of final draft
ing.
Jap Pledge Satisfactory.
Baron Shidehara's statement of
japanese policy yesterday, in which he
disclaimed for his country any design
against the territorial integrity of
Russia and declared its intention of
withdrawing the Japanese troops in
Siberia as soon as orderly conditions
are restored, apparently was received
with satisfaction generally among the
other delegations.
There was no indication today that
any of the other powers was disposed
to seriously dispute the plan of con-
tinuing for the present, the Japanese
occupation. The American govern
ment was understood not only to have
been deeply impressed with the Jap
anese statement but also disposed to
regard it as a solemn pledge behind
which the conference could not prop
erly go.
Shantung Hinges on r. r.
The japanese pledge as put before
the committee by Baron Shidehara
also declared it to be the fixed policy
of that country to observance of the
principle of non-intervention in the
internal affairs of Russia as well as
the principle of equal opportunity
for the commerce and industry of all
nations in every part of the Russian
possessions" Adequate protection for
foreign interests in Siberia was de-
withdrawal there.
The Shantung controversy today
had been reduced virtually to the
single point of difference over the
Using Tao railroad by agreement by
the Japanese and Chinese yesterday
for China's purchase of the salt mines
of the province.
Expect Chinose Premier to Quit.
Chinese officials in Washington
were inclined today to believe reports
that Liang Shih-Yi the Chinese pre-
mier, was on the point of rendering
his resignation, altho neither the Chi
nese legation nor the Chinese arms
conference delegation had received
any advices from Peking to that eff
feet.
Chinese legation officials said that
should the premier resign it would
not affect the arms conference dele
cation in any way nor would it change
the delegates instructions regarding
settlement of Shantung. the twenty
one demands and other Chinese ques-
tons engaging the attention of the
conference.