The New York herald., 1922-01-17
OPEN DOOR POLICY
DEFINED BY HUGHES
Continued from First Page.

settle the shantung problem favorably
to China will create even more anti
Japanese feeling than would be involved
in popular loan.
When the Far East committee re-
newed its activities this afternoon 1t took
under consideration the question OF
tariff legislation for China contained In
the report recently submitted by Sena-
tor Underwood, whose resolution pro-
vides for a revision of the Chinese tar
ifs to ) per cent. effective as provided
for in the several commercial treaties
to which China Is party.
A tariff revision commission Is 10
meet at Shanghai at the earliest pract'-
cable date. The United States will ex-
tend The invitations for the meetings OF
the commission and its membership shall
consist of Governments recognized by
the Powers engaged in the present con-
ference which have commercial treaties
with China. The commission shall take
steps to make provision for the interim
pending the abolition of the likin or
provincial tariffs and will authorize the
levying of surtax of 2Is per cent. ad
valorem except in the case of certain
luxuries Further revisions are to take
place four years after the PRONUNCIATION
OF the new tariff and every seven years
thereafter.
The committee then undertook to con-
slider the question of the open door"
in China, the American spokesman re-
fusing to say whether or not the debate
went further than an academic discus
sion of the principle. This discussion
will resumed tomorrow.
Discussion of the specific application
of the open door question plunges the
conference at once into consideration OF
all of the most vexatious Far Eastern
problems Under this heading on the
agenda are involved the 'twenty-one
demands" which China wants discussed
in the conference and determination of
whether or not the principle Is abridged
by the Sino-Japanese treaty Of 1915
which is the outgrowth OF the so called
demands
Hughes's Definition.
Mr. Hughes's definition was contained
in letter to Minister SEE dated July
last and which contained the follow
ing:
Your reference to the principle of
the open door affords me the oppor-
4 tunity to assure you OF this Govern
ments continuance in its whole
hearted support OF that principle
which It has additionally regarded
as fundamental both to the interests
OF China itself and to the common
interests of all Powers in China and
Indispensable to the free and peace
ful development of their commerce
on the Pacific Ocean. The Govern
ment OF the United States has never
associated itself with any arrange
mert which sought to establish any
special rights or privileges In China
which would abridge the rights of
the subjects or citizens of other
friendly states. and / am happy to
assure you that it Is the purpose of
this Government neither to participate
nor to acquiesce in any arrange
ment which might purport to estab-
lish in favor of foreign interests any
superiority of rights with respect TO
commercial or economic development
in designated regions OF the terri
tories of China or which might seek
to create any such monopoly or pref
erence as would exclude other ma
tions from undertaking any leglti-
mate trade or industry or from par
ticipating with the Chinese Govern
ment in any category of public enter
prise.
The Naval Committee, which is still
considering the question of fortifcations
final conclusion to-day owing to the fact
that certain minor questions growing
out of the formula for delimitation of
regions susceptible of fortifcations must
be referred back by some OF the delega-
tions to their home governments.
The status quo will continue In the
British Notifications of Hongkong, but
there will be no dismantling of fortifca-
tions now existing. The British retain
the right to fortify Singapore. The ques-
ton OF determining the extent to which
the British dominions may go in fortlfy-
ing regions near them south Of the
equator is understood to be the latest
obstacle to a settlement.
In spite of these delays. British spokes-
men anticipated a plenary session within
few days to act on the naval treaty,
possibly not later than Thursday. This
optimism concerning the date OF the
plenary session is not fully shared by the
American delegation.