ARMAMENT CONFERENCE.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 2878, 2 December 1921, Page 5

ARMAMENT CONFERENCE.

FAR EASTERN COMMITTEE.

JAPANESE POSITION.

(From tlie Special Representative of the Australian Press Association.) Washington, November 30.

The Far Kasfsern Committee’s communique to-clay contained a full statement From the Japanese regarding their attitude in connection with foreign garrisons in China. They emphatically disclaimed that Japan ever entertained p.ny aggressive purposes, or desired to encroach . illegitimately the Chinese sovereignty by sending or maintaining such garrisons. Referring to Shantung, they stated that Japan had declared and she now reaffirms her intention of withdrawing her troops as soon as China notifies her Chinese policy, duly organised, and has taken over the charge of the railway protection. Similarly at Hankow, it is not intended that the troops shall remain permanently, but -.Japan must be assured that China will immediately take effective measures in connection with tile maintenance of order and the protection of foreigners, and will assume the responsibility for any damage which may be or has been done to foreigners. Tile maintenance of troops along the South Manchuria * railway, and the activity of bandits J in that region, render it impossible

for Japan to forego the right, or ra- 1 the-r the duty, of maintaining the railway guards in Manchuria, whose s presence is duly recognised! by treaty. * As to the Pekin guards, Japan is t ready, acting in union with the ocTi-er * Powers having garrisons there, to c withdraw them as soon as the con- r ditions -warrant it. Japan will also n withdraw her troops guarding the railways in Siberia, when the Chinese <1 troops in those regions are also with- ° dra\vn. The Japanese troops l’n f 1 China proper approximate 4500, of lii which. 2700 are in Shantung. Regard P ing the police, the statement offered -li considerations for their continuance,. a.s they did not interfere wifh the Chinese- or other nationals, and were ei proving of much practical usefulness. The Committee discussed the question of wireless stations.

The Committee were notified that Mr C. E. Hughes and! Air Balfour had offered their good offices to the representatives of Japan and China, and suggested that there should be conversations . between these representatives in regard to the settlement of the questions of Shantung and Iviaucluau. These offices were accepted by the representatives of both Governments, and conversations are to proceed accordingly.

ttte naval ratio. a POSITION OF FRANCE. Washington, November 30. s It lias boon definitely stated to-da that France will witlidraw her d< mand for a navy as large as that < i England!, and will consent to ran alongside Italy. The original idea wa t for these two countries to have twe thirds of Japan’s tonnage in M Hughes’ ]>lan, but there is a likeli hood that this proposition will be re dueed to one and a-half, making th tonnage of capital ships and a.uxil iaries about 1.50,000. This does not in fln-do. xubmnrino tonnam*. the consid

clu'cle submarine tonnage, tne consici oration of which as regards France and Italy, awaits agreement bet wee r the Fnited States, Britain and JaIpan regarding their requirements. This plan would give France five capital ships, with the requisite suppleu'ienta it auxiliary craft. If Franee and Italy agree, as seems highly probable, the. naval agreement will be extended to include* all five Powers. • Interesting manoeuvres are going on hero between the military and civilian sections of the .Japanese delegation, which is reflected also at Tokio. The naval men will not give way on the. question of the ratio until I the last ditch. The civilian element in the* delegation is ready to accept the inevitable and to agree to Air Hughes’ plan. Tt was said to-day that the naval had formally advanced a nkn in c<»nirniitee for 70 r>er cent.

plea m committee lor a per cent, ratio. The feeling is that this is the last word with the civilians, who will yield the point, hoping for a recompense on some of the other Far Eastern questions. The uncomfortable Shantung question to-day was removed, at any rate for the present, from the purview of the Conference. The American I viewpoint as expressed by their I spokesman, wain that it was obviously I desirable that there should be eon- I versations between the two nations in J the present very favourable atm os- J phere. I

The Chinese and Japanese delega- j tions also spoke hopefully, though j the former qualified their remarks by I saying that the people of Chinn pro- I fer* that the matter should he set- I tied at the Conference. 1 It was also pointed out that con- I versati*>ns would not hind either nation to finalise matters if conclusions are not reached. Both indicated however, that their delegation was prepared to do the best for China without insisting on a reference to the Conference. It cannot he said, however, that China is entering into the convorsa- j tions with an open mind. To-day ]

j the Ghinesp delegates issued a rstateI me lit reviewing the Shantung question, which reflected in several ways on the Japanese conduct in dealing with Shantung. In one or two places quite undiplomatic language was used. Japan was accused that she deliberately violated the neutrality, and proceeded to make secret arrangements with European Powers. All of this is not calculated to preI serve the atmosphere of goodwill. The Chinese have not abandoned their attitude <at Versailles, at which they maintained that Shantung and all ceded rights reverted to Ghana. The question of the naval ratio is still most prominent. It was elicited in American quarters to-day that while the experts have -not reached an actual deadlock,, they differ on certain points, the assumption being that these points will be referred for decision to the big three— Hal four, Hughes and Kato. It is .explained that these differences are of two kinds, one regarding the figures of the formulae alone, in which some inaccuracies are observed as to the basis of calculations. The other difference was as to what factors should be taken into consideration in determining the tonnage and ratio. The American position was that if they

ire willing to scrap three hundred nillion dollars’ .worth of ships under ;onstruction, the other Powers should nake sacrifices on the same lines. The United States’ view is that heir nation would never stand for ny proposition that they should crap their uncompleted tonnage, and he other nations be allowed to keep heirs. This evidently refers to the lutsu, which the American plan set own as incomplete, while -Japan laintains that she is actually oomlissioned. i Japanese circles declare that the r uestions are not yet out of the hands f the naval experts, and they re- C lse to discuss them. They admitted, ] icidentally, that quite con siderable rogress has been made towards the aiitation of armaments, and they tw no reason why naval matters lould not he settled without refer- I ice to the Far Fast.

; JAPAN'S CLAIM. j (From the Special Representative of j the. Australian Press Association.) i Washington, November 30. i There is a rumour in Washington j to-night, which must be accepted I with reserve, that Baron Kato called J on Air Hughes and Air Balfour, and I presented them formally with the I findings of the naval experts, snpI porting Japan's claim to the tonnage j ratio of ten, ten, seven, instead of

ton, six. in favour of •T:ipan. No eonI firmation could lie gained of this I statement in Japanese circles, w Inch I rather discouraged the runionr. sav- | 1 r 'Tt 1 1 such a course eras unnecesif I sar . v * as Japan's position w: s known j i jto the other delegations. j It is suggested to-night that the _ I Japanese are holding out 0:1 the tonr I i!ago ratio for the purpose of play- I I ing with the position, wishing to I I withhold acquiescence until certain | . I Far Eastern questions come ro ! -c I I considered. _ I More discordant notes wore struck I _ I to-night concerning Shantung. Two I , J representatives of several' public bod- I , I ieis in China, sent here unofficially to I . I watch the delegation, issued a state- I I ment opposing the acceptance of the I . j proposition of conversations, and in- I . I sisting that matters should h? I I brought before the Conference in a I regular way. as a violation of China’s | I integrity, this being the unchange- I I able view of the Chinese jH-ople. j Ihe other objection came from Ma- j I soo, the personal representative of I I Sun Yat Sen. and the South China | Government, who alleged that Mt Hughes had been out-manoeuvred ny I the other Powers, so that the Chin- I eso delegation was rendered power-) less, and the whole affair was a farce. I Accredited Chinese correspondents | also declare that while China, is will- • ing to discuss matters with Japan. | ] the Chinese people want Shantung I , J returned unconditionally. i Tt is believed in an important miar- j ter tjhat if China If id forced her I .. views regarding Shantung, the Con- | , ference would have voted against the I £ question coming before them, on the | It grounds that it would have violated) S j the Treaty of Versailles, tints playing | e into Germany’s hands to ask for a rc- I < vision of llio conditions. Thi- would j s have been the French view. Cor- |*' tainlv. if China, had refused .Mr I ITtigltcs’ and Mr Halfottr's offices, and I 1 bad insisted on bringing tile matter f to the Conference’ the most critical I sitmition would have I icon created, I ! iinjterilli ng the whole Far Eastern I question, Ihe Chinese have issuiM] another I loinr statement, reviewing the eondi- I s< tioiiK surrounding the foreign troops I j>j in Chinn, including the TTcgation Itl Guards, as doing violence to the sense I w of pride of the people.