The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-24
FORMAL DISCUSSION
OF JAPAN'S POLICY
TO BE HELD TODAY
No Indications That Any of the
"Big Five" Delegation to
Oppose Accepting.
WHOLE SIBERIAN PROBLEM
MAY SOON BE DISPOSED OF
Long Continued Shantung Nego-
tiations Have Also Ap-
preached Conclusions.
ley The AssoeIated pressl

FN~eN@sNNNN
WASHINGTON, Jan. ga sweep
ing disclaim of any design against the
territorial integrity of Russia, coupled
with pledge to withdraw the Japa-
nese troops stationed in Siberia as
soon as orderly conditions are restored
was presented to the arms conference
far eastern committee today by the
Japanese delegation and was received
with a general show of satisfaction by
the representatives or other principal
powers.
Formal discussion Of the Japanese
policy was postponed until tomorrow,
but there were no indications tonight
that any of the big Five" delegation
would oppose accepting of Japanese
declaration at face value or seriously
dispute the plan of continuing. for the
present, the Japanese occupation of
Siberian soil. The general view was
that the whole Siberian problem,
touched upon today for the first time,
soon would be disposed Of on the ba-
sis of the Japanese pledges.
At the same time the long continued
Shantung negotiations also approached
their conclusion. At their thirty-first
meeting 70 discuss the subject, the
Japanese and Chinese virtually COM
pleted an agreement on all the issues
involved except the central question
of the Tsingtao Tsinanfu railroad, and
there were signs of impending develop
ments regarding that. Ma 500, Wash
ington representative of the unrecog-
nized Chinese government of Canton,
announced that D railroad settlement
alreadv had been reached.
In connection with the Japanese
statement regarding Siberia, it was
revealed that the American govern
ment had addressed a communication
on that subject to Toxic shortly before
the arms conference met, and that the
Japanese foreign office had replied
virtually IN the same terms laid down
at today's committee meeting by
Baron Shidehara. The exact purpose
OF the American note was not disclosed
but IL was said to have pointed out
that the American forces having been
withdrawn from Siberia there was
much speculation as to why the Japa-
nese troops remained.
American spokesmen would not dis
cuss the subject tonight in advance of
the formal statemeAt OF view TO be
made at tomorrow's committee meet
ing, but it was learned that the Ameri-
can government was deeply impressed
with the Japanese statement and was
disposed to regard It as solemn
pledge behind which the conference
could not properly so. Moreover, in
both American and British circles il
was conceded that there might be
much Justice in the claim that present
conditions in Siberia make some out
side protection necessary to safeguard
the rights of foreign nationals.
The Chinese declined to reveal theii
attitude toward the Japanese policy, and
the only note OF criticism came from out
side the conference, in a statement ISSUED
hy the delegation sent to Washington by
the unrecognized Far Eastern republic
OF Chita, siberia japanese promises Of
withdrawal from Siberian soil, the state
ment declared, had been chronic
statement OF the Toxic government
since August, 1920.
AS put before the committee by Baron
shidehara the territorial integrity pledge
OF Japan, regarded as the most concise
and definite yet TO be made by her IN
regard to Siberia concluded as follows:
''The Japanese delegation is authorized
10 declare that il is the fixed and settled
policy OF Japan to respect the -erritoria
integrity OF Russia, and TO observe the
principle OF n-intervention in the in
ternal affairs OF that counry. as well os
the principle Of equal opportunity for the
commerce and industry OF all nations in
every part Of the Russian possessions.
The withdrawal from Siberia, Baron
Shidehara declared, awaited only an ar
rangement for protection of foreign in
terests there, while japanese troops would
romain in the Russian province of Sakha-
lin only until stable government had
been established and had made fitting
restitution for the massacre of japanese
nationals IN 1890 at NikolaievslS.