London Groups Send Letters to Foreign Secretary the presence of an imposing array of world statesmen representing nineteen nations, the Nine-Power Conference, summoned in an effort to settle the Sino-Japanese conflict by agreement, was opened here at 11 a.m, to-day by M. Paul Spaak, the acting Belgian Foreign Minister.
Welcoming the delegates, M. Spaak, who was subsequently elected president, reviewed the circumstances in which the Conference had been convened.
The complete identity of the views of Britain and the United States was the feature of the opening session, while the only discordant note was struck by Count Mares-catti, of Italy.
According to Japanese quarters, the Belgian Foreign Office yesterday asked the Japanese Embassy if it proposed to send an observer to the Conference, and the Japanese Ambassador is said to have replied that he did not propose to have any contact with the Conference.
The Italian delegate had a long interview with the Japanese Ambassador last evening.
The Japanese deny a report circulating here that the Japanese are willing to consider mediation by Britain and the United States.
The delegates met this morning at the Marble Hall of the old palace of the Duke of Orange, which provided an admirable setting. Huge paintings of Flemish masters looked down on a large baize covered table surrounded by red plush chairs.
The Conference rose at 1 pin. Tt has been reconvened for 4.30 when the chief Chinese delegate, Dr. Wellington Koo, is expected to speak In calling the Conference the Belgian Government, said M. Spaak, had no other object than to collabora ate in the work of peace. The world was already so troubled by the tragedy in Spain that it saw its uneasiness increased by the horrible war proceeding in the Far East. Every man was asking if the far-flung centres of fire were not the forerunners of a universal cataclysm, beside which the horrors of 1914 would be child's play. The refusals of Germany and Japan to take part in the Conference, he said, were regrettable for the progress of their work.
Meeting is Not Tribunal Citing the text of the German refusal, M. Spaak expressed the hope the refusal was not absolute but inspired by certain special circumstances which could be modified. Germany's reply, he added, was a long and extremely important document which would be distributed to passed when the effects of an armed conflict were confined to the pari cupants, Within a few generations, he continued, Japan had undergone a great transformation, and both the Occident and the Orient were impressed by the admirable achievements effected by the Japanese people.
During the present generation China had been struggling with momentous problems of transition from an old to a new regime, and the world had observed her efforts with sympathetic interest.
Unfortunately. China and Japan had reported hostilities which were detrimentally affecting the whole world.
The United States had not come to the Conference in expectations of working miracles, but with the inten-ton of appealing to reason, said Mr, Davis, declaring, "We expect to join with other nations in urging upon Japan and China that they should resort to peaceful processes. We believe that 'Sino-Japanese ce-operation is essential to the best interests of these two countries and peace throughout the world. We believe that such ce-operation must be developed by friendship, fair play and reciprocal confidence.'
Mr, Anthony Eden, the British Foreign Secretary, followed the American delegate.
Anglo-U.S.
Agreement "The wide and lucid speech of Mr. Norman Davis," he said, "so well defined our task that I have little to add. I am in full agreement with everything he said. We much regret the absence of one ofthe parties, which must hamper our efforts for peace, but it cannot lessen our endeavour on that account.
"If we are told that our prospects for achieving our object are slender, that is no reason to shirk our duty to ourselves and the world. If we are afraid to face possible failure, we are not deserving of success, We hope that, with the least possible delay, the conference will resolve itself into a working committee and get to grips with its task." the delegates.
The abstention of Japan, M. Spaak said, put the conference in a very real difficulty, but further discussion might dissipate certain misunderstandings. The conference must not consider itself a sort of international tribunal before which Japan should be summoned to appear and explain her actions in conditions incompatible with her dignity and honour.
"Our object," the Belgian Foreign Minister concluded, "is to end the war, if possible, and re-establish peace and law."
On M. Spaak's suggestion, it was agreed that the Conference should hold its plenary sessions in public and its committee meetings in private.
Mr. Eden declared that the raintenance of peace was of vital interest to all countries.
"War," he continued, "is a contation and may spread, and in any event the inevitable loss of national prosperity adversely affects all countries, "It is natural that we, powers directly interested in the Far East, should wish to consult together, even if no treaty basis existed, to ascertain if we can assist inthe early cessation of hostilities and the restoration of stable conditions.
"Actually, however, there 's a treaty as well as.a moral obligation. None of us are disinterested spectators but bound signatories of an international instrument. H
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.