The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-21
GROUND WORK LAID
 FOR NEW MEETING. OF WORLD POWERS.
Revision of Rules of Warfare to Be Left to Another Con- ference, Following Hard
 ing'S Suggestion
By Associated Press

Washington, January 20.-The American proposal to lay openly be- fore the world all the treaties and understanding that relate to China met with an unexpected setback to- day, when it came before the far eastern committee of the arms con- ference for formal adoption.
 Although such a step had been agreed to yesterday lin principle, 1" the problem of defining the exact scope of the agreement precipitated long debate, and after several changes had been made in the draft presented by the American delega- the suggestion of Japan.
 The committee did adopt, however resolution expressing the hope of the powers that China speedily would reduce the large military forces now maintained within her borders. That action, the resolution declared, was considered requisite to any real financial rehabilitation of the Chi nese government.
 Meantime, in another subdivision of the conference, the groundwork was laid for another international gathering which some delegates seemed to regard as a partial reali- zation of President Hardings plan for a continuing series of meetings to discuss world affairs. The sub committee on draft. headed by Elihu Root, approved a resolution putting over a revision of the rules of war fare to a future conference, which 1t Is contemplated shall be called by the United States in the near fu- ture.
 Debate In Senate
 For the first time in several weeks discussion of the Washington nego- tiations broke out today on the floor of the Senate. where a resolution was presented by Senator Walsh, demo- erat, Montana, asking information about the status of the Shantung controversy. Both Senators Lodge and Underwood members of the American delegation. told their col league the Shantung conversations were near a conclusion and that if they failed, there seemed to be no hope of bringing the question before the conference proper.
 On the naval side of the conference the situation continued unchanged, with Japan still withholding assent to the article dealing with Pacific Qualifications. It developed, however, that the hitch was over inclusion of the Japanese islands of the Bonin group, under the Qualifications status quo" and that difference of view on the question had arisen between the Japanese delegates and their home government.
 Commercial Agreements
 Discussion of the treaty publication resolution in the far eastern com mittee centered about the proposal 10 include in the published list of com mitments the various commercial agreements entered into between Chinese authorities and private indi- viduals abroad Since the foreign governments are not themselves parties to these understandings. the Japanese suggested it would be diff cult to make a complete compilation of them. It was said, however, that no open opposition to the resolution came to the surface and American spokesmen predicted tonight that IL would be adopted.
 In the view of the Chinese, She commitments to which foreign indi- viduals and not foreign governments are parties include some of the most important of those now exercising an influence on China's development. Many of the railroad and loan agree ments, they say are of that eharac- ter, making it requisite that the reso- lution be of the broadest possible scope if it Is to accomplish the show down sought by the American dele gation.