Evening Star Newspaper, November 17, 1921, Page 4

o == THE EVENING STAR, WASHING-TON D. C., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1921 Chinese Principles Afford Basis for Working Out Plan of Procedure in Far East Problems - O OO o - e WEAK SPOT FOUND - INBALFOUR VIEWS Government-Owned Yards May Be Needed if U. S. Proposal Is Upheld. BY LEROY T. VERNON. British liberal opinfon, both at} home and in Washington, has been quick to sense the weak spot in the xgestion of Arthur James Balfour that the naval experts should examine most carefully the question of naval repincements of capital ships as pro- posed in the American disarmament | plan. The American plan contemplates on | its face n complete naval holiday for ten years. Mr. Balfour's suggestion implies that replacements should be 80 regulated that shipyard organiza- tions, which build naval vesse should not be destroyed entirely, but| that a sufficient number of them to with the American plan as & should be maintained ntact. One British representative today put the issue: “The American plan | ntemplates putting naval construc- | tion_into cold storage for ten years in the hope that it will be frozen to death at the end of that time." Broad- 1¥ speaking, this spokesman lajd his finger on the permanent purpose of the American plan, provided events ten years hence justify such a step, whereas the Balfour pian of replace- ments deals exclusively with the ten- Year or lemporary agreement pro- posal and might, in the end, defeat the larger purpose unless carefully safeguarded. accord whole Government-Owned Yards. There is a strong possibiliy that out of the Balfour suggestiom may come a plan to build allsnaval =vessels in government-owned shipyards where BRITISH ADMIRAL CALLS PRESIDENT ENORMOUSLY SUPERIOR TO BISMARCK By the Assoclated Press. LONDON, November 17. — Ad- miral Sir Cyprian A. G. Bridge, noted naval wuthority, in a letter to the London Times proclaims President Harding as one of the great men of _modern times, “enormously superior to Bismarck, and superior even to the illustrious Cavour.” He' declares that the American plan for limiting navies statesmanlike because it is equitable and practicable, and points out that if it is intended that the American® nayy shall eventually “equal that of Great Britain it is almost a concession. since, had the American 1916 pro- gram been maintained “we should either have been surpassed in naval strength or been compelled to _expand our latest expensive building program.” Admiral Bridge concludes: “Pres- ident Harding has done more than any one man to save civilization from destruction by war. or. if there is no war, from ruptey due to the increasing cuniary cost of naval force.” ND PROPOSAL MADE T0 SLRAP YARDS U. S. Cannot Understand British Suggestion to Re- tain One Plant. By the Associated Press. The British suggestion that each of the naval powers retain at least one raval building yard capable of turn- ing out one ship a vear does not ap- pear to be understood by American naval officers particularly familiar with construction problems. There was no sugzestion in the American limitation proposals that any yards pe- the fleets permitted under the Ameri- can disarmament plan must, in any event. be repaired during the tem-year i period. The detailed American pro- posal already provides that no power which is a party to the disarmament + agreement shall be permitted to pur- chase combatant vessels from any oth- er power, nor shall any power be per- mitted to build combatant vessels for any other power. This. in itself, is a blow at both governmental and. pri- vate construction of combatant ves- sels and limits each power to the con- , struction of its own vessels within the maximum provisions of the agree- ment. The tendency of the suggestion is clearly in the direction of government owned or controlled shipbuilding yards and this is further emphasized by the requirement that each power shall inform every other power of the de- tails of the construction of its re- placement tonnage. Unofficially, the suggestion has aiready been made that naval attaches of the nations party to the agreement should have the fur- ther right to inspect this construction in good faith rather than as a re- flection on bad faith. The American replacement proposal, to which Mr. Balfour has called at- tention, was premised on the obvious fact that such fleets as will continue to cxist under the ten-year holiday plan must have navy yard bases for outfitting and repair. Two Bases in This Country. In the case of the United States it is clear that there must be at least two such bases, one on the Atlantic and one on the Pacific. capable of practicaily reconstructing, and, there- fore, of constructing all classes of combatant ships and auxiliaries. The present plan of having a different government base for different types } of ships might be continued. In any event. adequate facilities must be maintained to Support the navy which ' remains. and_it_is difficult to see j Wherein Mr. Balfour's main_ sugges- tion is not already provided for by the absolute necessities of the Ameri- can Navy, which will so closely ap- proximate the British navy in size as to make the British auxiliary fa- cilities a_matter of degree rather than of principle. It would seem apparent that the American plan, if carried out logical- iy. would eventually lead to the abso- lute governmental control of naval construction and repair in govern- ment naval bases. The effect of this step would be to centralize-the in- terest in naval construction in the governments themselves and to take the question of the size of navies out of politics and plgce it where it be- longs—on the conseiences of govern- ments.. If the American disarmament plan has a rmanent purpose, it would be far easier to serap government-owned avy yards ten years from now than would to scrap privately owned yards, which have a noteworthy af- finity for politics whenever their in- terests are affected. (Copyright, 1 GEN. DIAZ IS WELCOMED BY CLEVELAND SOCIETIES be scrapped, and so far as navy yard facilities in_this country are cerned, ull will be needed, it is said, in the maintenance and repair of the retained fleet. At present the United States has several navy yards equipped to build ships.” It has not been con- here that it would be nee- " under the reduction program 1o serap the equipment of these shops and building docks. Some of the ma- chinery would not be needed. of course, for repair work and would lie idle, but the bulk of the government plants in each case would be con- stanty in use keepins up the in eighteen battleships to be retained by the United States, it was said. Sound Repair Program. These ships, the newest in the Navy are in many cases now approaching the point “where regular overhaul Programs are necessary to keep them in first-class shape. and with the scrapping of the older ships that have been keeping the yards busy to this time, officials Teel thut a sound Tépair program as to first-class craft can be adopted for the first time. _If the British suggestion, a wholly informal one as vet so far as known, has to do with providing means fer insuring the advancement of naval engineering knowledge during the proposed ten-year holiday, there is no doubt that it will receive much ap- proval among American naval officers. That aspect-of 4he holiday proposal already_has appehled to technical o perts of the U'nitad States. They havi assumed that this would be covered in the final form of the holiday agree- ment. Kept in Better Shape. One thing that many officers hope will be possible under the limitation program is that the Navy can be kept in better imes than was possible with the larger fleets and ¢ tensive work on new programs. This has to do. it is said, more with prep- aration of plans for vessels of all types than with the actual condi- tion of the ships afloat. Those are always in about the siate of readi- ness it would be posSble to keep them; but with technical personnel released by fg'o reduction of the Navy from other tasks, it is tha plans for all sorts of auxiliarie: which would be needed in war carn be kept up on a thoroughly matured scale, and these vessels not be, as was the case in 1917-15. the product of hurried planning. The question involved is one of keeping a suffi- cient technical force at work during the naval holiday to round out and revise the plans constantly. COURT BACKS POLICE. Efforts to Break Up Thefts From Automobiles Approved. Bfforts of the police department to break up the daily thefts from automo- biles have the full support of the Police Court, according to the stand taken by Judge McMahon yesterday, when impos- ing heavy penalties upon two defend- ants charged with larceny in connec- tion with the theft of articles from au- tomobiles. tealing from automobiles parked in around the District is a serious Judge McMahon stated, “and penalty. All such will be dealt with and matter,” for a heav: re futur s statement was made to Theodore Johnson. colored, and John Mason, who . CLEVELAND, November 17.—Mili- enced by the court to 'serve ! p six months in jail each. Johnson, who tary organizations and the chamber |SIX Months o Hhokic of commerce co-operated with D, | ¥AS arrested by Toliceman C. A, Berry, said to ve in his possession when sola Cerri, Ttalian vice consul, and . i representatives of Italian societies in |2TTested a ‘.;',f'o:-”.""‘;{o‘l‘im'. Tour spane welcoming Gen. Armando Vittorio | PIUBS & ; ' : Diaz, commander-in-chief of the Ital- ian armies. to Cleveland today. He arrived from Washington this morn- inz ‘on the first leg of his trip to the Pacifie coast. . | significance was attached to vigit to this state in that the only ment of American soldiers to servel on the Ttalian front during the world war—the 232d Infantry—was composed principally of Ohicans, a majority of whom were Clevelanders, The regiment acted as the general's military escort during his way here. . Diaz was met at the station by a reception committee, headed by Dr. Cerri, and escorted to the city hall, where honorary citizenship was con- ferred upon him. An almost contin- uous ‘reception followed. the princi- pal one being set for noon. An automobile tour, including a vis- it. at the general's request, to the tomb of former President James A. Gartield, was planned for this after- noon. A banquet will be given in honor of Gen. Diaz tonight by the. Military Order of Foreign Wars. Gen. Diaz and his staff will leave tomorrow worning for Columbus. cles were said to have been taken from the machine of Maj. Charles N. Trager, which was parked at 21st and B streets on_Monday. Mason is meter and Wing ornaments from an au- tomobile parked in front of a down- 1 I naval armament on | been con- | CONFERENCE FEELS | === OPINION OF PUBLIG/ | Reaction to Force of Will of People Developing, as Was Pregicted. BALFOUR’S PLAN SCORED Delegates nespo;nsible for Real Set- tling of Position and Not Experts. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. The conference on limitation of armaments already is reacting to the force of public opinfon —as it was confidently predicted would be the case by advocates of thé fullest pos- sible publicity regarding the pro- posals advanced at the conference. Secretary Hughes, by his bold and unexpected statement of the United States program for limitation of the opening day of the conference, captured the im- agination of the public the world over. The great underlying principle involved in that program was the ten- yeur naval building holida; Balfour's Suggestion Criticined. Suggestions, emanating, it is said, from British naval experts, that in- stead ‘of banning all building for a period of ten years, a certain amount of replacement work should be done for the navies of the United States, ! Great Britain and Japan during the ten-year period, instead of walting until the end of ten years before be- ginning the replacement of obsolate aessels, has caused a roar from the British public, as well as from the public in this country and elsewhere. How is it possible to have a naval building holiday and at the samk time continue to build onme ship vear, as the British suggestion has interpreted, even though these vessels be intended to replace vessels scrappd from time to time during the ten-year period and resulted in no increase in the naval tonnage of the powers? “The preposal of the United States Is that all naval building— other than repairs of the vessels re- ained—cease. To devlate from this it is said, would be to destroy the effect of the announce- ment to the world of a naval building holiday. Delegates to Settle Position. In this connection it may be said that the Dritish principal delegates, and not the naval experts, will setile the position which is to be taken on this subject, though naturally the British delegates will give heed to the advice of their technical men. Questions of policy will be settled Ly the main conferees, and not by the naval experts. It is shown that Ar- thur J. Balfour, head of the British delegation, has pronounced ide; to whether a naval building h can exist in reality when one. two or any number of ships is being laid down during the term of the holiday, and that he does not quite see how u holiday can be held to exist while the building of naval vessels continues. In Mr. Balfour's speech before the conference, accepting the United States proposal regarding limitation of naval armament, the only remark which he made regarding replace- nts came immediately following suggestion that submarine ton- nage be reduced and the size of sub- marines be limited, and was as fol- lows: “However, there may be other ques- tions of detail, questions connected vith replacement. questions con- ted with cruisers which are not ne connected with or required for fleet action.” Impression Gained Ground. Yet the impression gained ground in England and elsewhere that Mr. Balfour had advocated the permit- ting of the building of naval ves- | sels during the ten-year holiday pe- riod. It is known, too, that members of the American advisory committee would strongly oppose any vielding in regard to the plan for an absolute holiday of navy building. The argu- ments” advanced for replacement building continuing during the ten- year period are not considered suf- ficient to offset the value of com- plete cessation of building. It is pointed out that there will be a con- siderable amount of repair work to be accomplished during the holiday period, which will give work to ex- pert naval constructors and builders. and that the yards which construct merchant vessels will continue in full blast, and that the latter can without great difficulty turn to the construction of naval vessels at the end of the holléay period, If neces- sary. Outx Work Opposed. A further suggestion that the na- tions in agreement be permitted to build naval vessels for the account of other nations not included in the proposed agreement, during the ten- vear period, also meets with disap- proval here. It is recalled that in previous wars vesscls so constructed have been called back into the serv- ice of the country where they were constructed. Also, it not deemed wise to make the navy shipbuilding yards of the powers in the agree- ment compete for the work of con- structing navy vessels for other na- tions. The proposal of Mr. RBalfeur, on the other hand, that the size of sub- marines be limited, so &8 to prévent the building of the undersea boat ca- pable of cruising thousands of miles, has struck a note of popular ap- proval, which may be expected to have its influence on the conference. ‘The reaction of the public to the proposals made by China with regard to the problems of that country—the id to have taken a motor |KeY of the far eastern problems—is awaited with considerable interest. The Chinese proposals. take them by town theater, belonging to Willlam Ray- | 2nd large, are to the effect that other holt. the arrest. ——— EXECUTION DEFERRED. —~———— John McHenry, old, slayer Armstrong, will not be hanged at the District jail tomorrow. Becausc the mandate of Court of Appeals confirming his con- viction has not vet been received by the lower court, Chief Justice McCoy [ence are expre: Kas @eferred the execution until Fri- day, January 6, 1922, The_tragedy occurred at Union sta- tion, December 14, 1920, when Detec- tive Armstrong attempted to place the boy under arrest as he was flee- ing from the killing of Wallace Mul- care, about one hour earlier, at his store near Thomas Circle. Sidelights on the Conference Surfounded by a hundred newspa- per correspondents, Arthur J. Balfour, leader of the British delegation to the arms conference, stood last even- ing in the center of the dining room ! the British embassy and subjected himself to a veritable machine gun fire of questions from all quarter Iscorted into the room by Ambassa- dor Geddes and Lord Riddell, the for- mer prime minister received his ruests in a most cordial manner and | peemed extremely pleased at the in- terview. He walked briskly trem eno ap @0 Gint to appras. ) ? questioner to another and greeted them with a beaming smile. He re- fused to delve into problems politic, but offered to answer the curious, which he did until he was requested to speak offhand on a very delicate subject, and then he replied merely by @ twinkle in his eye. The one outstand. Ing reservation of the evening was—he was not to be quoted. Arrangements were made by which one of the British delegation will meet néwspaper men eyery afternoon ‘hereafter. - Mr. Balfouf Policeman C. E. Mansfleld made | POWers twenty-two years|of Americans, of Detective Sergeant |pressed today. But what the peoples the { China will think remove themselves from China, where they have been for many years, and allow the Chinese to conduct their own affairs, though al- fowing fully, for the “open door policy. That the proposal will receive the indorsement of the great majority was the opinion ex- of the countries having spheres of in- fluence and great concessions in is another matter. is encouraging to note, however, that the delegtions to the confer- ng the belief that many of the proposals of China can be agreed to, and that the entire pro- gram may be taken as a basis for discussion and consideration. No Definite U. S. Program, While the United States delegation has its ideas regarding the far east problems, the opinion was ventured today in high quarters that this coun- try has no definite far east program to submit to the conference—as it had with reference to the limitation of naval armament. The desire of the United States, it is believed, was to have the iInitiative taken by nations having more direct interests in China. The TUnited States, however, is strongly interested. In addition to China, the far eastern problems in- clude the fortification of the islands held by the United States in the far east. and the mandates over the is- lands in the Pacific taken from Ger- many. All of which are of great im- portance to this country. —_— AGAIN HEADS FARM UNION. TOPEKA., Kan., November 17.— Charles 8. Barrett of Union City, Ga., was. unanimously re-elected president was ‘selected | of the National Farmers' Union at the ' annual convention here. =) ; IDelegation Offers Sweeping Far East Pro- VIVIANI N HE WORLD — SAYS A WORD “AtTion!” — IS WHAT CHARMAN HUGHES ~THATS EIMER 1Y 1 ONE OF THE GREATEST ORATORS RIPLEY ATTENDS THE CONFERENCE. ToKuGAWA PASKT CHEERED 5 AN(THING ‘ETI' NEVER V.S. SASTRI (SRINIVASA) REPRESENTING ARiSTIDE BRIAND Prime Mhusler and Mimister of Foreign ajars of France —LISTENS INTENTLY TOALL THAT 1S SAID — ALTHOUGH HE CANNGT SPEAK A WORD OF ENGLISH, i ARRIYES ZR WATRNG ALONG THE WAY ety T CATCH A PEEK AT TE L : vd Cflmnen'(’i( Wlemorial Hal) CELEBRITIES ASHNGTON —= TEXT OF CHINA'S PROPOSALS, INCLUDING “OPEN DOOR " POLICY gram—Wants Guarantees Against Ag- | gression and Respect for Rights. | itations upon China's political juris- dictional and administrative fréedom of action are to be removed. “G. Reasonable, definite terms of duration are to be attached to China’ present commitments, which are wit time limits. . ’ In the interpretation or instru-| By the Associated Press. The text of the Chinese proposal as submitted to the assembled delegates yesterday by the head of the Chinese delegation to the Washington con- ference follows: “In view of the fact that China must necessarily play an important part in the deliberations of this confer-! ence with reference to the political situation in the far east, the Chinese delegation has thought it proper that they should take the first possible, opportunity to state certain general | principles, which, in their opinion,| should guide .the conference in the determinations which it is to make. “Certain of the specific applications of the principles which it is expect- ed that the conference will make it is our intention later to bring for- ward, but at the present time it is deemed sufficient simply to propose the principles which 1 shall presently read. World Harmony Sought. “In‘formulating these principles, the purpose has been kept steadily in view of obtaining rules in accordance with which existing and possible fu- ture political and economic problems in the far east and the Pacific may be most justly settled with due re- gard to the rights and legitimate in- terests of all the powers concerned. i Thus it has been sought to harmonize the particular interests of China with the general interests of all the world. “Chima is anxious to play her part, not only in maintaining peace, but in promoting the material advancements and the cultural developments of all the nations. She wishes to make her vast natural resources available to all peoples who need them. and in re- turn to receive the benefits of free and equal intercourse with them. In order that she may do this it is nec- essary that she should have every possible opportunity to develop her political institutions in accordance with_the genius and needs of her own people. China is now contending with certain difficult problems which nec- essarily arise when any country makes a radical change in her form of government. “These problems she will be able to solve if given the opportunity to do so. ‘This means not only that she should be freed from the danger of threat of foreign aggression, but that, 80 far as circumstances will possibly admit, she be relieved from limita- tions which now deprive her of au- tonomous administration action and prevent her from securing adequate public revenues Definite Principles Offered. “In conformity with the agenda of the conference, the Chinese govern- ment proposes for the consideration of and adoption by the conference the following general principles to be ap- plied in the determination of the questions relating to China: “1. (a) The powers engaged to re- spect and observe the territorial in- tegrity and political and administra- tive independence of the Chinese re- public. “(b) China upon her part is pre- pared to give an undertaking not to alienate or lease any portion of her territory or littoral to any power. *2. China, being in full accord with the principle of the so-called open door or equal opportunity for the commerce and industry of all the na tions having treaty relations wit China, is prepared to accept and apply it in all parts of the Chinese republic without exception. “3. With a view to strengthening mutual confidence and maintaining peace in the Pacific. and the far east, the powers agree not to conclude be: tween themselves any treaty or agree- ment directly affecting China or the general peace in these regions with- out previously notifying China an giving to her an opportunity to par- ticipate. No Secret Special Right. «4. ANl special rights, privileges, dimmunities or commitments, whatever their character or contractural basis, claimed by any of the powers -in or Irelating to China are to be declared. and all such or future claime not so made known are to be deemed null and void. The rights, privileges, im- munities and commitments, mnow known or to be declared, are to be ex- amined with a view to determining their scope and validity, and, if valid, to harmonizing them with ome an- othier and with the principles declared by _this conferenve. . Immediately or as soon as cir- ‘cumstances will permit, existing lims ments granting special rights or priv- ileges, the well established principle of construction that such grants shall be strictly construed in favor of the grantors is to be observed. Pemce in Pacific Desired. “8. China's rights as a neutral are to be fully respected in future wars to_which she is not a party. 9. Provision is to be made for the peaceful settlement of international disputes in the Pacific and the far east. 10. Provision is to be made for fu- ture conferences to be held from time to time for the discussion of interna- tional questions relative to the Pa- cific and the far east, as a basis for| determination of common policies of the signatory powers in relation thereto. _ The moon is getting nearer to the earth at a speed of about fourteen feet in 200 years. Astronomers up to the present have not been able to ex- plain why this is so. The Busiest Spot On F Street Saturday ‘Will Be The With a wondrously beautiful exhibit of Coats, Wraps, Suits, Furs, Afternoon and Evening Frocks portraying the latest creations of Dame Fashion. If you are interested in the dictates of fashion— don’t miss this Fashion Opening. WATCH THIS PAPER FOR OPENING ANNOUNCEMENT Tomorro:v, Friday, November 18th BY JUNITS B. WOOD. ‘When China stepped boldly to open the conference's di far eastern problems a new policy was born for the western Pacific. Her | unexpected move at yesterduy's secret | sesslon is significant of an admission by the five powers of the actual status in that part of the world and a reali- zation by China that she must sturt to walk alone. Other nations, s er in a military way, may moral_support and financial ance, but now that Russia's r is shattered, there s none ti fight for her. Japan might gallant knight, but China doe: want Japan as her champio others are too far away and she m make her fight alone. ) U. S. to Support China. ‘That the United States will suj the program which China raii. sketchily outlined for a soiution of her external troubles seems certain. In the conference she will have tie moral support and all assistance of | the American delegates, but she must take the initiative in her own fight After the conference adopts the rules which are to transform the troubled far east into an Asiatic Utopia, China will continue to have the support of America in the world capitals, but in things which concern herself she must start her own fight. There are sev eral reasons which make this advi ble, but one which is extrem practical is sufficient—under the pro posed limitation of armaments, no power can cross the Pacific or coms through Suez and make the fight for r Among the Chinese delegates it wx said last night that ten days they decided on the program which has been presented. The: the United States would present it to the conference in th Friendly talks with various repre sentatives of the American govern- ment followed. The Chinese delcgat agreed with them that it w time for the Chinese republic to sh itself together, settle its squabhles home and stand up for itself. Th world audience was here and this w. the golden opportunity for the intro ductory bow in such a policy. Chair man Hughes was approached and lie promised the Chinese delegates that! they should have the first opportu- nity to present their case. { The momentous far eastern ques- tion backed into the conference with true oriental irregularity. It came in under the cover of a session of the committee on P: and far eastern questions. That au-| | Bust body which plans to quietly do this portion of the conference's work ! consists of the “No. 1 delegates” from each of the nine nations, with one ad- | viser and one secretary-interpr for each nation. The public can get its information of the secret sessions from the newspapers and even the re. porters are not permitted to see the performance. China Crosses Threshhold. Nobody took the responsibility of starting a discussion of what China had proposed. Instead the delegate. slipped mimeographed copies of th s statement—there was an abundance for distribution to reporters—into their pockets, and the discussion was left to come later. No public session heralded the important subject, as on naval armament. - i As one delegate expressed it, prob- out alone cussion of lita ¥ hoped that || | Pacific NEW POLICY BORN IN PACIFIC BY CHINA'S BOLD PROPOSALS United States Believed Ready to Support Startling Program on Settling of Vital Far East Problems. no nation has the onfldence to sponsor which 1 th the istead it w ed pie I and Chix across the Jld first. Chir be tie b roblem of the but cle ah sel courage or “@ program problems of ond © mentio 4ccompini- In this dis- n chis coming to tak thined Anurouncement ere They er than discussion pre that changing according pro- the i and other powers indorsing’ the ) practice, Lizht Sough Will g0 1o an e 1 1o respect the ter- Chinese re . or as soon thereafter S Will permit, exisitng political ju ninistrative free- are to be removed. cover the multitude of peculiar Ch For- e extraterritoriai their own court laws, supervision 1stoms, the colives nts in large ci nies on Chine: wn post offices and an of- manazement of the Chinest posts and telegraphs. If this repeated s thut the conference is to best for China's own -, for the forcign 4, hat these privi- considerable debate dependent il He ciret v or as soon as mit,” which erted by the voung China ause by post tiveness into an in- 1 il of ullifi uxe Vital. may lie in the t their naval s the principal topi might be interpr general peace in e China’s ap- armz- of 1 auses the Chinese stato- notes of high morality r power e calls for “peaceful settle- ational disputes in the ud the far e: something which must be included in a world- ~7 (Continued on Page 21, C m e It ment of inut