The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-23
SIBERIA PROBLEM
 WILL COME BEFORE
 FARLEY THIS WEEK
Last Topic on Conference Agenda Will Be Explored No Lengthy Discus
 sion Expected
By Associated Press

bN Associated sfresS
 Washington, January 22.-The problem of Siberia, the only topic on the agenda of the Washington con ference now remaining unexplored, is to replace the Chinese questions during the coming week as the para mount concern of the arms dele gates.
 By most of the delegations the si- berian situation Is not expected to lead to q long discussion and it was predicted generally tonigh that by the end of the week the far eastern discussions would tind themselves once more abreast of the lsmost con cluded naval negotiations
 The Japanese, who expect Siberia to be considered at tomorrow's meet ing of the far eastern committee re- ceivsd today from Tokio an e1pres- sion of policy by Foreign Minister Uchida which they regarded as deter mining definitely the nttftude of their government against withdrawal of Japanese troops from Siberia until stable administration has been es- tablished there This position the delegation is expected to lay before the committee as soon as 1t begins its Siberian discussions bringing the negotiations at once to a considera tion of the central issues involved in I.1 It Al. that any other power intends to stub bornly dispute the Japanese stand. or to bring on prolonged debate over lesser quegtions.
 DefinIte< Date
 In some quarters theer is apparent s belief that Japan should be in- vited to set definite date for with drswal of her military forces, but the Japanese delegates said tonight they had no present intention Of doing 90 Their troops. they de- clared. were in Siberia solely to pro tect Japanese interests during the present unsettled conditions and therefore 1t would be wholly im- POS~A0Ao to AlA n Nihn0Ad udA1 uH~ til there are definite assurances of an improvement.
 Although the far eastern commit tse Is about to shift it's attentions to Siberia, a few of the Chinese ques- tlons still remain to be disposed of and will receive consideration when tho causes which prompted their postponement are removed The Chi nsse request for abrogation of the "71 demands" treaties is among these but is not expected to come up un- til the Shantung negotiations are concluded. Other subjects include the Chinese Eastern railway and the Russo Chinese alliance of 1896, both of which are considered likely to dovetail into the Siberian discussions as they proceed.
 shantung Negotiations
 It seems to be a unanimous belief that the coming week not only will see the far eastern agenda virtually exhausted, but also will witness defi- mite steps in the separate negotiations between the Japanese and Chinese over Shantung. The two groups will
  time to continue their discussion of details, and two or three more meet ings are believed certain to reduce tho points of difference to a stage where a compromise on the Tsingtao railroad issue will bring the whole Shantung controversy to an end.
 over Sunday conferences produced no development in the naval negotia tions but all the delegations held to their predictions that the Pacific for tifications settlement, the only point remaining at issue. would be worked out without serious trouble. It seemed to be the prevailing opinion tonight that plenary session of the conference would be held during the week to present the naval treaty in it's final form.
 In view of unexpected delays that have developed in the past, most of the delegates are chary of making further prophecies of an adjournment date for the conference. No one seems to believe 1t likely. however, that the negotiations will run past the first 10 days of February and in some guar ters it Is expected that the final ses sion will take place not later than two weeks hence.