The New York herald., 1922-01-22
new RULE DESTROYS
SPHERES in China:
DOOROPENED WIDER
Powers Adopt Hughes Reso-
luton and Paragraph
Offered by Root.
.FACT INSTEAD OF MOTTO
Action of Conference Regarded
as High Water Mark Of
Achievement on China.
Special Dispatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
WaAhingtOn. ID. c.. inn. FL [

Special Dispatch to THE New YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. C.. Jan. FL. I
The Conference for the Limitation
of Armament through its Far Eastern
committee to-day adopted the Hughes
resolution requiring listing Of al
agreements entered into with and con.
cerning China.
In the light of the previous Hughes
resolution already adopted pledgine
the Powers to respect the principle OF
the "open door" and defining this
principle in such manner as to make
the "open door fact instead Of a
motto" the action is regarded as rep
resenting the high water mark OF
of the Powers in dealing
with Chinese affairs
1t does not represent all that many
supporters of the Chinese contentious
had hoped. It still leaves undeter-
mined the status Of the Japanese
"twenty-one demands" upon China.
and the Shantung question is still un-
settled.
Great Step Forward.
In spite of this failure to achieve all
that had been hoped for it is recognized
as being a great step forward and
charts the way for future dealing with
the Chinese problem.
Spheres of influence are eliminated.
the open door is declared, a commission
Is to be established to pass on alleged
violations OF the open door and China
has free opportunity to find herself
apd to organize stable government.
!The resolution as adopted differs IN
pfraseoIogy to some slight extent from
the resolution previously introduced by
Mr.. Hughes. 1t carries an added para
graph offered by Elihu Root. whicl,
drives another spike in the coffin of the
dead doctrine OF spheres of influence. .
This new paragraph says:
Resolved, That the signatory Pow
ers will not support any agreement
by their respective nationals with
each other designed to create spheres
of influence or to provide for the
enjoyment of exclusive opportunities
in designated parts OF Chinese terri
tory.
A provision is inserted In the agree
ment which will make II impossible
for any Power to rely upon any agree
ment in the future which II does not
list now. This provision Is contained In
the words added to the pledge to pub
llsh existing and future agreements.
which read: (which they deem to be
still in force and upon which they de-
sire to rely" This Is In effect declar-
alton that agreements not listed will be
regarded as invalidated.
These treaties or agreements are 10
be filed at the earliest date possible and
new agreements arc to be filed within
sixty days after they are made.
The Japanese objection to having the
agreements made by nationals Of any
of the Powers listed was overruied to
the extent of requiring a listing $50 far
as possible" of these private agree
ments made with Central Chinese Gov
ernment or with local authorities'' in
China.
The Chinese Government on its own
behalf undertakes to furnish a complete
list of all contracts, agreements and
treaties ratified. whether made with
Governments or with private individ-
uals or firms. at the earliest possible
moment. II also undertakes to furnish
a list OF agreements made with Powers
not signatory to this agreement or with
the nationals of such Powers.
Both the questions Of electrical COM
munlcation In the Pacific and the man
dates in the Pacific are practically dis
I osed Of so the Siberian question re-
rains the large issue on the agenda.
and this will be taken up the first of
the week. With the speed which has
been made this week there is well
grounded hope that the end Of the con-
terence Is near.
Hope for Consideration.
While existing commitments" appear
to have been disposed OF In the adoption
Of the resolution requiring publicity for
past and future agreements the Chinese
have not given UP hope OF consideration
Of the "twenty-one demands" They
believe this is all important to a COM
rlete settlement of the Manchurian
question. where Japan's extension of
lease rights are guaranteed under the
terms of the Sino-Japanose treaty OF
1915. the concrete result or the twenty
one demands"
The last paragraph OF tho agenda for
ire conference contains these words:
Under the heading OF the status
OF existing commitments II Is ex-
pected that opportunity will be af-
forded 20 consider and to reach an
understanding In regard to the un-
settled questions involved and the
nature and scope of commitments
under which claims of rights may
hereafter be asserted.
The Chinese hold this gives to them
a concrete pledge to consider past agree
.nents in the conference In the light Of
the Hughes resolution defining the open
door and they insist the Sino-Japancse
treaty Is a flagrant violation Of this
principle forced ON them at the point OF
tho bayonet
The question OF the final disposition
OF the Chinese Eastern Railroad, on
which experts are working. stIll remains
tn be disposed of. This is involved with
the entire Siberian question. OF which