Evening star., 1922-01-25
Discussion Eastern

imply-if he construed It correctly
that, for instance. the sending OF arms
from japan to Port Arthur was to pc
prohibited. II this was in fact the
meaning, he did not quite see the
reason for 1t. Japan could easily take
efficient measures to restrict the -e.
export of arms, ETC., from her leaseo
territory to other parts OF Chipa. pus
SO long as Japan was in occupation OF
Port Arthur it would be Impossible
for her to undertake restriction Of the
dispach Of farms thither.
Mr.. Balfour said: II am not at au
certain that there ought not to be
an amendment to meet the point
made by my colleague from tne
United states and to bring this para
graph 1 into exact or close conform
ity with the resolution in 1919. the
1919 resolution dealt with restrain
ing their subjects from exporting 10
or. importing into China arms or am.
munition. l am not at all sure that
ought not to be put In.
"The United States delegation tells
me that that is not possible under the
United States law at present. IL ls
possible under the British system, put
it is not possible under the Onlteo
States system. ! see little Use put-
ting 1t in, then.
"As regards the point raised by my
Japanese colleague. l do not imagine
that the sending of arms from japan
to the armed forces of Japan In port
Arthur would come under this at al.
l may have misunderstood MS mean. ian.
ing, but I thought his meaning was
that he was afraid this would pre-
clude the Japanese government from
supplying their own troops in FORT
Arthur with arms and ammunition.
Final Action Delayed.
THAT certainly is not the tnten-
ton. and / am Informed that 1t would
not be the effect. ! quite agree tnat
if it was the effect. then some modi-
necessary in order to remove what
would obviously be patent error IN
the drafting. / think, however. ne
may rest easy on that point. Pre-.
cisely the same thing would. OF
course, affect the British government
Kowloon Is concerned, and l DO not
feel uneasy about 1t.
"Mr Chairman, I understand that
one or two Of my colleagues AROUND
the table desire instructions from
their government about this. I also
have taken place, and after the sug.
gestions that have been made. 1t
would be possible for this to be
brought forward with no change OF
substance or intention. but with
some improvements of form; and 80
/ would propose do not know ex-
actly the form in which it should be
put-but / would propose that IL
might be better to adjourn this dis
cussion until instructions are received
from the governments whose repre-
sentatives have to seek them. There
fore, if l might be permitted-I do
not know whether 1t would be very
regular-but if might be permitted
to have the wording of the resolution
examined, in the light of the discus
sion which has taken place today, !
might bring it forward at the next
opportunity when the subject is
raised. in little improved and
amended form"
The chairman said that he pre-
sumed that the general purpose. of
the resolution was sufficiently under
stood to enable the delegations, which
were not advised of the opinions of
their governments. to seek instruc-
tions. The resolution would. then. be
retained in the hands of the British
empire delegation until they saw hit
to bring it forward. in the same or
sumed that the delegations would
seek authority so as to be able to
deal with it when 1t was again pre-
sented, and he called attention to MI
Balfour's request that he be advised
by the delegations who were going
to seek instructions from their gov
were received.
Mandated Islands Touched Upon.
The chairman said that the next
subject on the agenda was that Of
mandated islands; and in the state
ment Of the agenda there was added.
after that title, the words. Unless
questions earlier settled" The refer
ence was intended to be 70 Islands
under mandate in the Pacific ocean:
Since this statement of suggested
agcnda had been distributed the
American government and the Japa-
nese government had reached an
agreement with regard to the islands
in the Pacific north Of the equator TO
which Japan had received a mandate.
in which four of the five principal al
lied and associated powers concurred.
The United States of America had not
assented to that mandate, and there
had been questions open for consid-
Island of Yap and also with regard to
(the) other inundated islands.
The chairman said that the chiefs
Of the delegations had already been
informed that the negotiations which
took place between the Japanese gov
Ir ent had resulted in a. satiSfa ctory
agreement, which remained to be set
forth in an appropriate convention.
That being the case. there was no
occasion for the conference to deal
with the matter Of the inundated
islands north Of the equator in the
the terms of the agreement between
the Japanese government and the
American government would be suit
ably notified to the conference. So far
as the islands in the Pacific ocean
south Of the equator were concerned.
with respect to which there were
other mandates to which the United
States of America had not as yet as
sented, 1t was assumed that the mat
ters in question might appropriately
be the subject of discussion between
Great Britain and the United States.
He said that he believed that there
was no occasion to bring that mat
ter before the committee.
Cable Question Next In Order.
The chairman then said that the
next subject on the agenda was that
of electrical communications in the
aspects. One relat,d to the former
German cables in the Pacific. These
cables had passed to the Ave prin-
cipal allied and associated powers.
At a recent meeting Of the heads OF
the delegations Of the fivs principal
been stated that the japanese gov
ernment and the American govern
ment had reached q provisional agree
ment with respect to the disposition
Of the former German cables in the
Pacific ocean. That agreement, OF
course, was subject to the approval
of the other allied powers, and
also subject to the approval of
other parties interested, in SO far
as their interests might appear. It
therefore did not appear that the
question need occupy the attention OF
the committee
with respect to the broader Ques-
ton Of electrical communications In
tho Pacffic, aside from the disposition