Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-01-19
EFFORTS OF j. s.
DELEGATES Are
NAUCHT
REQUESTS for Permission to
Examine Concessions in
China Refused
OTHERS ADOPTED
Action Regarded by Champions of
Proposal as Near Disaster. Others
Say Rejection Not Important

Washington, Jan. 19.-The Ameri.
can delegation was defeated in the
Far Eastern Committee Yesterday IN
what has been regarded by many as
the most important section Of tbs
Hughes Chinese open door resolution
the fourth article under which eX-
listing concessions would be submit
ted to the international board of ref
erence for examination and report.
The Japanese led the attack.
Members of the American delega-
tion insisted that the defeat Was un-
important and that the other three
articles of the resolution, which were
adopted unanimously, constitute an
achievement of great value, but that
optimistic view is not general by any
means, Champions of the Chinese
view the defeat on the fourth article
as little less than disaster.
They have been calling insistently
since the Conference; started work
for remedial action upon the grab
bling of spheres of influence and con-
cessions that have made mock of open
door declarations in the past. Want
ing, of course, such strong restate-
ment of the open door policy as is
contained in the first three articles
of the, Hughes resolution, they have
argued with great vigor that to
give such a reinstatement full life and
character. the Conference should at
o eamRa to correct some of the old Vi
WhsnfMr. Hughes offered his re-
vised resolution yesterday and it was
found to contain provisions that Of
fered possibility at least for review
of past abuses, the Chinese and their
friends looked upon it as fine effort
to- undo old wrongs. More than that.
they saw in the American move evil
d'ence that there was reality in the
Numerous reports circulated in the
last week or so to the effect that Mr..
Hughes and the others in the Ameri-
can delegation had determined to
make a fight all down the line for
what the Chinese claim to be justice.
Now, the Chinese not only realize
that their hope of getting unjust ex
listing concessions up for review, UNI
der the Hughes resolution, has faded,
but they fear that the position taken
by the American delegation when
Baron Shidehara, fer the Japanese,
attacked the fourth article today
tends to preclude any further effec-
ual effort by the Americans to undo
past happenings. The friends Of the
Chinese would have had the Amerf-
can delegation make a stronger
fight for the fourth article than ap
pears to have been made in today's
session of the committee.
Evidently the American delegation
did not go very far in support of
the article. One of the spokesman
for the delegation, in explaining
what had happened, first made the
point that the adoption of the bal
ance of the resolution was a great
victory then said that the rejection of
the fourth article had little effect,
and finally, in response to question
whether the elimination of that arti-
Gle did not preclude anv action under
the resolution on existing conces-
sions, he made an emphatic i'm
promptu speech on the proposition
that this is a conference and not q
parliament, that majority vote does
not rule and that there is no way tc
make a nation (meaning Japan &C.
cept resolutions that she does not
want.
The vigor of this important speech
in response to a question. indicated
very plainly that, while the American
delegation publicly holds that the
loss of the fourth article is not i'm
portant, the members of the delega
ton are already FESTIVE under the
disappointment of the Chinese anc
the possible effect upon public opir
ion in this country and China, anc
also the effect upon opinion in TIT
Senate, where the moves in the Chi
nese situation are being watched
closely. As a matter of fact, the
difference between the statement:
on the matter made by members o:
the delegation and the strong
speeches made by Mr.. Hughes in re
ply to antagonistic inquiries from NJ
Sarraut, is SO wide as to weaker
greatly the delegations present atti
tude.