Evening star., 1922-01-21
COMM|TMENTP[AN
Of HUGHES LIKELY
TOGET PARLEY 0. K.
Publication of Agreements
Questioned, But Japan Is
Expected to Approve.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
The far east committee of the
Washington conference today
adopted the resolution offered by
Secretary Hughes providing for
listing and publication OF Chinese
commitments. The resolution was
modified SO ~ not to cover private
contracts and agreements.
The private agreements which
will not he included i'm the opera
tfon of the resolution are those
made between the nationals Of
one country and the nationals Of
China. Those commitments, how.
ever, between the government Of
China and nationals Of other
countries must be listed.
One amendment adopted offer.
ed by EIihu Root of the Amer
lean delegation provides that none
of the governments shall support
their nationals in any agreement
or commitment which would tend
to create .pherex of influence or
m0nOpolies.
Az rewritten, the Hughes rexo-
lutiOn consists of four sections i'm
stead Of two.
The far east committee of the
Washington conference today consid-
ed by Secretary Hughes calling for
listing and publication of all exist
ing Chinese commitments of the ma
tions taking part in the conference
and all future commitments. Not.
withstanding the fact that there had
arisen questions as to the feasibility
of having all the agreements entered
into between the nationals of the va.
rious countries and China listed and
published-Questions raised by the
Japanese and to some extent by the
British-it was expected that the
resolution would be adopted.
In the opinion of some of the dele
gates it will not be possible to file
complete lists of existing Chinese
commitments, both governmental and
those made with individuals, covered
in the scope of the resolution, until
after the Washington conference has
adjourned. Some time limit for filing
lists of existing commitments might
be fixed, it was suggested.
Must Stand Test.
But the essential and important fea-
ture OF the proposed publicity of the
Chinese commitments lay, it was point
ed out, in the fact that all of these COM
mi,ments are to be made public. They
will have to stand the test of publicity,
and claims that are held to be valid
must necessarily give the basis for
validity. 1t is not particularly i'm
portant, it is held. that these commit
ments be all made public before the
conference adjourns, just SO they are
made public.
The Japanese and Chinese delegates
will sit down about the conference
table in the Pan-American building
this afternoon to discuss further the
problems Of Shantung. 1t was said
gates would not reach the all-impor-
tant question of the -Kiao-
chow railroad at this meeting, though
if minor matters still awaiting deci-
sion should be concluded early, then
il might be possible to take up the
it was said that the railroad question
probably would come up Monday OF
Tuesday.
Among the Shantung questions te
be considered this afternoon were
those relating to the salt fields or
Kiaochow bay and post offices in Shan
tuns. Japanese nationals, it was
said. have obtained concessions from
the Japanese government to work
these salt mines and obtained these
concessions in a perfectly legal way
A question of vested rights arises. ir
consequence, in regard to these sal
fields.
Impatience Ii Growing.
The impatience in conference circles
over the delay in the settlement OF
the Shantung railroad question
upon which hinges the entire Shan.
tung Settlements growing greater
Echoes of this impatience are being
heard outside. The discussion yester.
day in the Senate in regard to this
matter is only an illustration of the
desire to have Shantung satisfactorily
adjusted.
The suggestion that Japan is delay.
ing the Shantung matter until othel
matters relating to the far east In
which she is interested have been set.
tied satisfactorily to the Japanese is
being heard more and more widely
Japanese delegates in the past have
denied emphaticalIy that they have
assumed a bargaining attitude in re.
gard to the Washington conference
Such a statement was made during
the consideration Of the naval ratio
question. But the long delays oveI
the Shantung question have agar
brought this charge.