New-York tribune., 1922-01-20
Secret Pacts
On China To
Be Revealed
tContInued from paas onnl

!
churinn and Trans Siberian railways
II gave Russia the opening wedge into
Manchuria. so that hcr forces moving
down from Siberia caused Japan to
prepare for the Russo Japanese war
eight years later. Russian aggrc ssion
III Manchuria also WINS the signal for
the European raid OH China in 1898,
when Great Britain obtained Wcihai
wei FOR so long a period as Russia
shall occupy Port Arthur" and Ger
many obtained kiaochau in Shantung.
The European move was To chcckmate 9
Russia and preserve the balance Of
power in the Orient. Although the Ii
LobanoF treaty expired in 1911. it was
precedent for other Russian treaties.
which enabled Japan to take over the
Cars control in Mnnchura
"Nothlng the powers could do would
promote to greater degree friendly
relations IN the future. with respect to
matters in which China and interests
in China are involved. than a full dis
closure of all tho commitments hcld by
the powers represented at The confer
cnce. Mr. Hughes is quoted in to
nights communicate as saying The
cOmmunluuc continues:
"Ihe point was he said "that the
powers should thcnccforth know. in tho
tfat any of the powers had to say with
respect TO their rights. That disclos-
Grc could affect no actual right .ad-
ve1scly; on the contrary it would tend
10 support every legitimate claim.
questions that were in doubt would
not be IN any more doubt because they
were frankly stated.
Adjustment Of Conflicts
"lic would say that great progress
could be made at the conference if they
would resolve to present the commit
mcnts Upon which they relied list
them. and give them to the secretary
general Matters Of conflict Of course.
presented phases Of claims Of right on
either side. which naturally would have
to be adjusted in a manner satisfactory
to those who believed that they had
rights. That presented the case Of a
controversy and the question as to the
appropriate means of settling contro-
vcrsies
He understood that it was not going
to be "A very great difficulty to list these
engagements. The important thing wa
should have & complete statement
which. giving abundant time for its
verification. should be regarded AS Il
final statement. with respect to the com
mtments as to China. He hoped. there
fore, that there would be no limitation
which would allow any commitments to
be ignored on the ground that it was
local or informal. or not reduced to the
form of treaty. relating to China, or
some political subdivision of China
Pleading for abandonment of secrecy
in treaties, Dr.. koo said that so long a $
any international engagement was KEEP,
secret it was bound to give rise either
TO speculat tion or suspicion. If moth
ing WAS known concerning it, the sit
uat'on would not be less unsatisfactory
since other powers might unwittingiy
adopt policies which ran counter to
such secret engagements. II il, was
merely suspected that a commitment
existed the other powers were likely to
adopt policies with q view to counter
acting the apprehended effect of such
secret agreement on their own inter
ests. The formulation by China Of any
sound economic or fiscal policy would
require full knowledge on her part Of
the number and character Of the claims
which other powers desired to advance
against her.
Railway Measures Adopted
Two resolutions proposed yesterday
concerning China's railways were
amended and adopted to-day. One pro
posed by Mr.. Hughes for the unhca
ton Of the always as amended reads:
'lhe powers represented in this con
ference record their hope that, to the
utmost degree consistent with legiti-
mate existing rights. the future dc.
Nelopment of railways in China shall
be- so conducted As to enable the
Chinese government to effect the unfit
cation Of railways into railway sys-
tenn under Chinese control. with such
foreign tinancial and technical CO.
operation AS may prove necessary in
the interests Of that SYSTEM"
Dr.. Alfred SIC said it was Chlra's
intention to unity the railways as
speedily possible. "lt IS our pur-
pose he said. "to develop existing ane!
future railways in accordance with a
genera program that will meet tnc re-
quiremen.s of China. 1t will be our