WORLD PROBLEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18463, 26 January 1922, Page 5

WORLD PROBLEMS

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE THE SHANTUNG PROBLEM. A SETTLEMENT REPORTED. ‘ press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. NEW YORK, January 23. It Is reported that the Shantung tion has been completely settled, with the exception of the status of the railway. It is understood that the Japanese delegates have already received finai instructions on the. matter, while the Chines© are still determined not to alter the position. Various Russian factions at Washington declare that the assurances _the Japanese, gave concerning Siberia are insincere, and thev have mocked their promises. American officials, however, feel that Japan will now honour her bond, and will assume a less" aggressive attitude towards Russian Siberia. , It is understood that the Chinese representatives have asked ths American delegation to approve of the Chinese demand for public revision of existing private contracts between various nationals and the Chinese Government. It is understood that the Americans declined this request. —A. and N.Z.' Cable. INTECRIIV OF SIBERIA. A JAPANESE DISAVOWAL. TRIBUTE TO LORD BRYCE. WASHINGTON, January 24. Official: The Japanese delegates have informed the Far Eastern Committee that Japan is willing to withdraw her troops from Siberia. They avowed that Japan had no intention of violating Russia’s integrity. . Besides some brief discussion on the Russian Siberian situation, the committee on the Pacific and Far Eastern questions spent a great part of its sitting in paying a tribute to the late Lord Bryce.—A. and N.Z. Cable. THE JAPANESE PLEDGES. COMMENT BY-MR HUGHES. WASHINGTON, January 24. (Received 1 Jan. 25, at 10.25 p.m.) Official: The Far Eastern Committee has recognised Japan’s stand on the Siberian question as valid, though Mr Hughes, in referring to Mr Shidehara’s speech, intimated that the United States was deeply interested in the early withdrawal of the Japanese troops and ad herence to the Japanese pledges regarding the evacuation of Siberia and respect for Russia’s integrity.—A. and N.Z. Cable. THE NAVAL TREATY. ' PACIFIC FORTIFICATIONS. (Fbom the Special Representative op the Australian Press Association.) WASHINGTON, January 24. (Received Jan. 25, at 10.25 p.m.) The Pacific fortifications clause has been practically adjusted. .it is understood that under the arrangement reached the Bonin Islands will not Be fortified, though they are considered to be a part of, the Japanese homeland. —A. and N.Z. Cable. i MR SHIDEHARA’S WARNING. • NEW YORK, January 24. (Received Jan. 25, at 8.30 p.m.) It is learned that Viscount Takahashi and Mr Shidehara urged the Cabinet’s Diplomatic Advisory Council to accept .the British and American views regarding fortifications, lest the whole of the Naval Agreement be wrecked. —A. and N.Z. Cable. POSITION OF BONIN ISLANDS. NEW YORK, January 24. The New York Times Washington correspondent learns authoritatively that the Five-Power Naval Treaty has been completely drafted, with the- exception of Article 19, which deals with fortifications. * The Japanese delegation has accepted the proposal that the fortifications on the Bonin Islands Should be maintained in statu quo. All that is necessary now is Tokio’s approval, which is expected at any moment. —A. and N.Z. Cable. THE BONIN ISLANDS. FORMER BRITISH COLONY. ' ; The Bonin Islands, which number about 20, are about 500 miles 'soutb-eyt of the mainland of Japan. They have an ipteresting liistory. According to Japanese annals they were discovered toward tire close of the sixteenth century, and. were called Bunin-iima (corrupted by foreigners into Bonin)’ because of their being without (bu) inhabitants (nin). Effective occupation did not take place and communication with the islands ceased altogether in 1635 as a consequence of the Japanese Government’s veto against' the construction of sea-going vessels. In 1728 fitful communication was restored, and in 1861 an unsuccessful attempt was made to establish a Japanese colony on one of the islands. Meanwhile Captafin Beeohey, the English geographer, visited the islands in the Blossom, assigned names to them, and published a description of their features. Next a small party, consisting of two British subjects, two American citizens, and a Dane sailed from Sandwich Islands ,in 1830, taking with them some Hawaiian natives and hoisted the British flag on Peel Island, the second largest of the group, and settled there. Commodore Perry visited the islands in 1853 and found on Peel Island 31 inhabitants, four being English, - four American, and one Portuguese, and the rest natives of the Sandwich Islands, the Ladrones, etc. Commodore Perry strongly urged the establishment of a United States coaling station on Peel Island. In 1876 Mr Russell Robertson visited the place and found that the colony had grown to 69, of whom only live were pure whites. Mr Robertson found them without education, without religion, without laws; and without any. system of government, but’ living comfortably on clearings of cultivated land. English was the language of the settlers, and they regarded themselves as a British colony. But in 1861 the British i Government renounced all claim to the islands, in recognition of Japan’s right of possession, and since coming under the administration of Japan the population of the group has grown to about 45C0. Thq; Riti Kin Islands (Chinese, Luchu) form a long chain stretching from the southernmost point of the Japanese mainland to Formosa. They comprise 55 islands. They are inhabited by a kindred race to the Japanese, and first came under Japanese suzerainty in the seventeenth century. MODERN DIPLOMACY. " CARDS# ON THE TABLE.” NEW YORK, January 24. Lord Leo of Fareham, First Lord of the Admiralty, in addressing the Englishspeaking Union, commented upon the French press statements declaring that British diplomacy had ensnared the innocent American delegation. Ho said: “But what is this diplomacy? It is simply a plain game of laying all the cards on the table. It is di-nlomacy—business talk, and a plain-deal. This is they aro doing at Washington, and that is why the conference is proving a success, at anyrate as between the English-speaking peoples. We British, of course, do not complain if the view taken abroad of our motives is not in accord with our ideas; but at anyrate our delegates are supported by the whole country.”—A. and N.Z. Cable. LAND ARMAMENTS. POLICY RESOLUTION PROPOSED. . (From , the Special Representative of the Australian Press Association.' WASHINGTON, January 24. (Received Jan. 25, at 9.36 p.m.) ' Some members of the conference are considering the jasasing «£ a resolution