The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-23
lDOMTNIONS MAY
SEND ENJOYS TO
DISARM PARLEY
u. s. FaUors Repre-
seYlfotion of Can
ada, Ef Al.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright, 1920.


Especial to The Argus.)
Washington, Sept 23.-News
from England indicates that Great
Britain will have six members on
her delegation DO the armament
conference. II this is her wish,
it will be granted and every other
delegation will be increased from
four to six members.
OF course, America hasn't any
thing to say about the personnel of
other delegations and has not at
tempted to limit the size beyond the
general statement that the delega-
tions ought to be small so as to
permit OF effective transaction of
business. But it is a fact that
American public opinion as guaged
by those in authority here, indi-
Gates a desire to have the domin-
ions of the British empire repre-
sented somehow in the British del
egation.
WOgld Improve Relations.
In the interest of better rela-
tions between the various English
speaking countries, it had been
hoped that the British cabinet
would invite the premiers OF Can
ada. New Zealand, South Africa
and Australia or their representa-
tives to sit in the armament con-
! ference as a part of the British
delegation.
! Many of the problems which will
| be discussed at the conference on
| far eastern questions are vitally
related to Canada, New Zealand,
! and Australia. The United States
would like to be apprised directly
! of the views of those countries
and to make sure that the repre-
| sentatives of those nations are In
| formed first hand in Washington
of the details of policy of the Wash
| ington government. Indeed, far
more than appears on the surface,
| the conference is destined to have
an important bearing on the rela-
tions between the United, States
and the British empire. It is sig
nificantly recalled here that the
whole parley is the direct sequel OF
! the imperial dominion conference
! whom the opposition to the renewal
! of the Anglo-Japanese alliance de-
veloped on the part of the British
dominions coincldently with the
expressions OF the American press
against the continuation of that
pact.
Cites General Smuts' Case.
The first cable dispatches from
| London would seem to indicate that
not q single representative of the
British dominions will be on the
British delegation. This has oc-
casioned much disappointment here.
At first it was supposed that this
may be due to a hesftancy on the
part of Britain to have her domin-
| ion governments discuss foreign af-
fairs with other powers, but the
prominent part taken by General
Smuts of South Africa in the Paris
conference as well as the success
of the British government in Sc
curing representation in the assem-
bly, of the League of Nations for
its dominions would seem to offset
that impression. For years there
has been agitation on the part OF
the Canadian people for commits
sioner in Washington. In principle
this plan has met with approval
here, but while the British govern
ment might not object to a Cana
dian commissioner in Washington,
would they approve of an American
commissioner at Ottawa? Although
there is no parallel between the i'm
portance of Egypt over which Eng
land maintains a protectorate, on
the one hand, and Canada on the
other, it is a fact that an American
: commissioner possessing virtually
diplomatic powers has been resi-
dent at Cairo for years. The whole
problem is one of the delicate
points between the United States
and Great Britain which it had been
, expected here would be settled be-
fore the big conference began.
Two More e. 8. Delegates.
Meanwhile speculation is deVel-
oping as to who the additional two
members of the United States dele
. cation will be if the membership OF
: all delegations is increased from
four to six. 1t is assumed that an
. other Democrat will be chosen.
John ". Davis, former American
ambassador to Great Britain. is es-
pecially familiar with the problems
to come before the conference and
is not known as a partisan Demo
crat. His name is being mentioned
repeatedly as a probable choice
j Robert Lansing. former secretary
/; of state, is another Democrat who
} is eligible, although it is said he
has already been engaged by the
Chinese government as an adviser
AS for the Republican member
John Bassett Moore, recently elect
ed as a justice of the new world
. court is spoken of for a place or
the commission, while gossip at the
capitol is that Senatox Knox OF
Pennsylvania, former secretary
of state, might be added to the
American delegation.