Pamphlet Series of the

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Division of International Law

No. 47

CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT

IN CHINA

Present Conditions and Prospects

BY

W. W. WILLOUGHBY

Professor of Political Science at the Johns Hopkins University

WASHINGTON
PUBLISHED BY THE ENDOWMENT

1922

CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE

NOTE

A Conference on the Limitation of Armament was called on August 11, 1921, by the Government of the United States, to meet in Washington on November 11, 1921, the third anniversary of the signing of the armistice between the victorious Allied and Associated Powers and Germany. It met on November 12, 1921, and adjourned on February 6, 1922, having successfully concluded its labors.

The representatives of the Powers originally invited to the Conference were the British Empire, France, Italy and Japan, for the consideration of the question of the limitation of armament, and China for the discussion of Pacific and Far Eastern Questions. Later, representatives of Belgium, the Netherlands and Portugal were invited to take part in the discussion of questions concerning the Pacific.

The tentative program agreed upon embraced the following subjects:

Limitation of Armament

1. Limitation of naval armament, under which shall be discussed: (a) Basis of limitation.

(b) Extent.

(c) Fulfilment.

2. Rules for control of new agencies of warfare.

3. Limitation of land armament.

Pacific and Far Eastern Questions

I. Questions relating to China.

First: Principles to be applied.
Second: Application.

Subjects:

(a) Territorial integrity.

(b) Administrative integrity.

(c) Open door-equality of commercial and industrial opportunity.

(d) Concessions, monopolies or preferential economic privileges.

(e) Development of railways, including plans relating to Chinese Eastern Railway.

(ƒ) Preferential railroad rates.

(g) Status of existing commitments.

2. Siberia (similar headings).

3. Mandated islands (unless questions earlier settled). Electrical communications in the Pacific.