The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-01-03


Washington. Jan. 3. (By the AssdJ
crIttd PrrSS.D Arthur J. BaliOnr an0
Secretary Hughes have been apA
proach by the Chinese arms delegaA
tiOn regarding the existing deadlock
with the Japanese on Shantung and
have been asked 10 mediate. il was
learned today ON high authority.
Washington. Jan. 3.t-By the ASso-
ciated Press. Naval experts of the
arms conference delegations contin-
ued today their study of technical de-
tails remaining to be settled in con-
ncction with the naval Limitation
agreement while other naval and far
eastern questions formed the subject
OF informal conferences for many of
the delegates. Final adjustment of
the limitation agreement was still
looked for by the end of the week In
the Far Eastern field there was also
another meeting today for the sub
committee appointed to formulate
new tariff program for China
The comparative lull in activities of
the conference proper served to hofd-
in prominence today the charges of
the unofficial delegation from the Far
Eastern republic at China of a secret
understanding between the French-
and Jap governments wherein the for
mer had agreed to present their aims
fer the proteCtOrate. conCurrently with
a formal and official denial of the
authenticity of the documents Dur-
porting to embrace the understanding
communicated yesterday to Secretary
Hughes as chairman of the tonfe--
enre by NJ Saurraut. head of the1
French delegation. Declaration was
made by Boris T., SkiiraSky. a mem
ber OF the China delegation that addW A
tional documents which he said had
passed between the two governmeu
on the subject were in the files OF I'D
government
Mr.. Skivirsky suggested that These
documents be inspected by duly ac.s
credited representative of the Ameri-2'
can government so that the results
might be made known to the confer-
ence when it takes up the Siberian
problems.
Working on Details
Washington. Jan. Some progress
is being made by the naval experts,
ii was said today. in arriving at de-,
ciSi0ns on numerous minor points
which will be incorporated in the linn
itation treaty These involve princi-
pally questions dealing with replace
mont and regulations governing the
scrappng Of capital ships which are
slated for destruction. .,-.,,...
As they are beginning to shape, the,
rules for Scrapping ships will consti-
tute a code, covering methods of dis
position Of the ships and of each part
Of the purely military equipment of
each ship worked out in sufficient de-
tail so that the three navies which
will have ships to destroy can follow
similar practice
The experts have not yet taken up
the discussion Of preparing regula !,
t!ons for conversion OF merchanemen
into auXiliaiY war craft in time of
war. IL has been pointed out that un-
less q satisfactory agreement in this
connection can be reached. the agree
mcnt to limit the size of cruisers and
other light auxiliary craft will NOT
be cf much value. The American ex-
pertS are prepared however. to sug-
gcst methods for the restriction of the
military value of the commercial craft
which they believe will meet the re--
quirements of the conference.
No official of the conference group
would hazard today prediction as
to how long it would take for the
technical experts to complete their
work