Evening star., 1922-01-20

THE EVENING":
thereof. Mr.. Koo said he would bs
Ths e nsas saepi point ai ss desired 10 discuss
was that the validity Of these oom-.
mitments should be determined. Whne
1t was desirable to examine the whole
would refer particularly to those that
had their origin In doubtful circum-
stances. AS he had stated earlier.
many were based solely on letters of
the verbal assent of individual om-
case there was a claim for terri
torial concessions which, moreover
was pressed simply because q Chinese
official who received letter EN-.
bodying the claim was Impressed
claim and refrained from replying.
Mr.. Koo felt, therefore, that 1t was
very desirable, in order to= clear up
the status of all existing commit
ments, that the committee Should trys
cially in the case of those based
on uncertain and often nebulous
claims.
The third point Mr.: Koo wished to
suggest was that, after the validity
of the existing ,commitments os
claims was determined. steps should
be taken to harmonize them with one
another and with the principles
adopted by the committee. 1t was
we'll known that there were claims
have equal validity per Sc, but WHICH a
might conflict with each other, TO
prevent controversies 1t would be
highly desirable for all parties con.
cerned, those claiming commitment
as well as the Chinese government; y;
these commitments should be re.
moved. Mr.. Koo remarked that "
had been said this might tntroduce
a new principle, that Of retroactivity;
That might be SO; but the praet,Gia, vshich
confiicted with each other should NOT
be overlooked, and there could pc
no doubt that those conflicting CLAIMS
should be adjusted and sett!eo. ~
a manner equitable and satisfactory
| to all concerned. i
Door to New Disputes.
1t might also be said that THIS
! would be opening the door to new dis
mites on the ground that q future
| concession might trespass on rights
already existing. He did not ieho
great weight to that argument. pc
| cause If an existing commitment were
sound and just it would have nothing
to fear. The course proposed would
give the opportunity to strengthen its
| position and confirm its validity.
those were merely left on one side
| the conflicts between them WouIo NOT
| be removed and the way for future
disputes would remain open. There
| fore some steps should be taken 70
\ solve the conflicting terms between
| commitments now existing. He there
| fore submitted those three sugges-
| tions for the consideration OF the
| committee, and would be most happy
to hear any observation which his
| colleagues might wish to make on
| them.
The chairman said that the COM
| mittee had listened with great inter
est to the important statement OF Mr.
| Koo. The chairman supposed that
nothing they could do would promote
| to a greater degree friendly relations
in the future. with respect to matters after;
| in which China and interests in China
were involved, than a full disclosure
| Of all the commitments relied upon by
| the powers represented at the CONFER
| ence He would suggest for their
| consideration that the powers repre-
sented prepare and hle with the sec
| retary general of the conference lists
| of all the treaties and engagements
with China upon which they relied.
| (. He was glad to note the offer of
Mr. Koo to present to the conference
! the contents of the engagement with
| Russia to which he had referred. and
| he trusted that Mr.. koo would fully
disclose what that engagement was.
All Information Desired.
| He thought it would be to the
advantage of the conference that
\ whatever was lacking in the way
! of information in respect to commit
ments relating to China should now
be supplied. This in itself. he thought.
| would largely, If not entirely, take
! care of the nebulous claims to which
| Mr.. Koo had referred. In other
! words, a valid claim could be stated
| and its basis could be set forth; II
it were too nebulous to be listed-and
| at the same time IT was understood
| that all engagements were listed-he
doubted If. in the future, there would
| be any basis for pressing il. Fur
ther, the question of validly had
| relation to something. thRtrNAuld be
defined. and in respect to !w34ssh an
argument as to validity or tnsalidity
| could be conduced. A mere nebuious
assertion of some right, without any
/, basis at all except conversations or
suggestions, would hardly create an
! opportunity for serious argument.
| The point was. he said. that the
powers at the conference should
| thenceforth know, in the interest of
| their cordial relations. all that any
of the powers had to say Win re-
| spect to their rights. That disclosure
could affect no actual right adversely;
on the contrary. it would tendto sup
| port. every, legitimate claim. Ques-
! lions that were in doubt would not
be in any more doubt because they
! were frankly stated. He would say
| that great progress could be- made
at the conference II they would re-
| solve to present the commitments
| upon which they relied. list them
and give them to the secretary gen.
/ presented phases of claims of right
! on either side, which naturally would
/ have to be adjusted in a manner sat
| isfactory to those who believed that
thew had rights. That presented the
| case of a controversy and the, ques-
| tion as to the appropriate means OF
| settling controversies.
Russo Chinese Alliance.
| His suggestion would be that. in
| stead of discussing all such matters
at once, or at least having a dis
cussion which would not be definitely
| related to a particular topic at a par
ticular time, the committee should
first take up the matter of listing the
l various commitments upon which the
Inations relied in respect of China. AS
preliminary to that he trusted that
he might, with their consent, invite
the disclosure which Mr.. Koo stated
that he was ready to make.
Mr.. Koo declared that, in com
pliance with the request of the chair.
man, the Chinese delegation would
be glad to lay before the committed
the terms Of the Russo-Chinese
alliance, as soon as a copy was made
for submission. He wished to add