DISARMAMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18455, 17 January 1922, Page 5

DISARMAMENT

THE NAVAL TREATY SHANTUNG'AND THE EAST. PROGRESS OF NEGOTIATIONS. (From the Special Representative op the, Australian Press Association.) WASHINGTON, January 15. Though some details are still to be settled, the revised Naval Treaty, with the exception of the fortification clause, which still needs final drafting, is now in" the hands of the delegates. THE SHANTUNG QUESTION. ' 'Conference circles to-day'took a rosier view of the Shantung/question. The Chinese received cablegrams,from Peking asking for clarification of "points in the Hughes-Balfour proposals. The meeting of the Far Eastern Committee wiH not take place until the Shantung matter is settled or practically settled, as it is not wanted to complicate matters. The Japanese, delegates denv the rumour that they received instructions from Tokio to accede to the Chinese conditions regarding Shantung. There is nothing/ to lead them to suppose that the Japanese Government has receded from its position or is prepared to make further concessions. • ' FUTURE OF KIAO-CHAIA Official: The "Chinese and Japanese considered the question of the transfer of the administration of, the former German leased territory of Kiao-chau and the surrounding 50-kilometre zone, and adjourned. It is understood that Japan has restored the German leasehold of Kiao-chau to China. THE TWENTY-ONE DEMANDS. Mr Wang, in a statement reviewing the Twenty-one Demands, pointed out that tho United States hod protested to China and Japan against a possible, infringement of the treaty rights caused thereby. China at the conclusion o! the -negotiations : disclaimed any responsibility for violation of the obligations of the other Powers. Mr Wang declares that the de-' mends, read in their true light, would - reduce China to a vassal State and deprive her of her rights of self-government, and would give Japan such a privileged position that- eauality of opportunity; would not be possible. Conference circles are of opinion that the Chinese demand for consideration of the Twenty-one Demands will be met with a suggestion that the matter is one in the same category, as Shantung, requiring negotiations between the.; two nations, and is not a fit subject fqr deliberation at the full conference. .It should be pointed out that several objectionable features of the demands in China’s eyes have already been removed by the action which the Far Eastern Committee has taken towards the Root resolutions, to which Japan is a party. There is reason to believe that Japan’s view is unchanged that the demands are outside the agenda, unless the' whole question of the Chinese treaties, agreements, contracts, and commercial' arrangements made with other Powers are to-be considered also. Obyiously no nation —not even the United States—wants that. * PAR EASTERN PROBLEMS. Increasing- signs of irritation in conference circles are observable over the protracted nature! of the Shantung negotiations. Not one believes that China ’and Japan have' really been engaged all this time in working-out the subsidiary details, most of which were previously bn the point of settlement. It. is assumed" that bargaining is going on directly between Tokio and Poking. There is a j&ssibility of the Japanese halting progress until the Chinese" New Year, in order to see ' whether the Chinese banks are abltf toj meet all their commitments. Far Eastern , cables ■ indicate that a severe -financial upset in China is imminent, necessitating the immediate flotation of a loin to tide over the difficulties. Already an effort to float such a loan internally has failed. Japan, therefore, may think it worth risking delaying the conference on the chance that she will be called upon to , finance China with a big loan, in which "the Shantung: issue will be involved. Meanwhile, it cannot be said that the Chinese delegations here are acting accommodatingly. Mr Wang's attitude to public statements is not calculated to - inspire Japan with a spirit of compromise, while the unofficial Chinese organisations never cease attacking the Japanese nets and motives. - They are encouraged iu this by the declarations of a certain group of senators that the Shantung question must be settled to the satisfaction of China before any treaties flowing from the conference can be ratified.—A. and N.Z./ Cable. JAPAN, AND SHANTUNG. CONCESSIONS REPORTED'. • - NEW YORK, January f 4. The New Yorji Evening Post’s Tokio correspondent learns that the Japanese Cabinet has decided to make concessions in regard to Shantung’which are sure of acceptance by China.—A. and N.Z. Cable. AMERICA AND JAPAN. FOSTERINGxENTENTE CORDIALE. NEW,YORK, January 15. Admiral Kato, in addressing the Japanese Society, said: “ The Washington/ Conference has succeeded beyond the' fondest hopes of many of us in reaching valuable agreements and understandings. The Americans no longer regard'Japan as a yellow peril. A few short weeks dissipated the clouds that marred the naturally clear and happy skies Jn the Pacific. Japan had given evidence'- by accepting the 5-5-5 ratio, which only the weakminded will dispute. The difficulties in regard to China cannot be cleared away in a, day. The work to be done is so vasUthat the problems connected with it may be with us for decades; but remember that China’s misfortunes have not been caused by Japan. .We are going to return and tell Japan that the people of tho United States are our friends A. and N.Z. Cable. JAPAN’S AERIAL STRENGTH. . EQUALITY WITH BRITAIN. ( TOKIO, January 14. , Captain Takahashi, Director of s the Naval Aerial Bureau, made a statement to the effect that Japan will insist on at least the same aerial strength as England or America. Plans ate now being worked out that will put Japan in the fifth place among the Powers from an aerial standpoint. “ Our geographical position,’' he said, “ necessitates an increase in our aeria.l strength.” It is understood that the plan contemplates 150 planeJ, six balloons, and four airships.—A. and N.Z. Cable. ~ / NAVAL COMMITTEE TO • -■ MEET. THE CHINESE SITUATION. v ■ — . A GLOOMY VIEW TAKEN. (From tits Special Representative op the Australian Press Association.) WASHINGTON, January 16. (Received Jan. 16. at 8.5 p.m,), A meeting of the full Naval Committee has been called for to-morrow afternoon. -, This is taken to indicate that messages have beep received from Tokio jpid London agreeing to outstanding questions relating to the Pacific fortifications and the conversion of ships, Some profess to read into the circumstance that a full mqpting has been called the assumption that such replies are favourable. Otherwise it is argued that only the heads would have been summoned.

Mr Hanihara to-day foreshadowed the r|ceipt of instructions froniiTokio -which] would result in a settlement of the. Shantung question which would be satisfactory to China. On the other hand Chinese circles are much concerned at the receipt of the news that Wu-Pei-Fu has demanded the resignation of the Liang Shih Yi Cabinet. Otherwise, according to his ultimatum, he will commence war iu seven days. He is already marching north. Civil war means chaos, as it is expected that all three super £« Chuns (the new armies of China) will h% embroile,d. Some of the Chinese advisers take the gloomiest view of the situation and think that the development* may mean an indefinite postponement of further consideration of all Chinese questions at this conference. If war be imminent they might logically take the attitude that it would be bettel to wait till affairs in China are fettled. Should WuS-Pei-Fu secure the resignation of the present Cabinet it is not known what the successors may want or even whether they would confirm the delegation in their position.—.A. and N.Z. Cable. -, "Ah! that is vinegar;" said a Punedin lady lately, as she opened a bottle of Marshall's "Crown" Brand; and so it is. Try for yourself to-day, «nd prove that Dunedin can produce vinegar equal toi the very '■ best imported—and why not?—-Advt,