The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1921-11-17
NATIONS AGREE
TO LIMIT ARMS
Japan Claims to Have to Ambition
for Equal Naval Footing With
America and Britain
CONFERENCE MAY BE SUCCESS
Part of Sessions to BE Held Behind
Closed Doors

The spokesmen of Great Britain,
France, Italy and Japan have accepted
the American proposals for limitation
of naval armament in spirit and prin-
ciple, making only reservations for
suggesting notifications Of detail.
Secretary Hughes is more than
pleased with the initial results Of the
conference and believes the question
can now be studied with the assurance
that there will come out Of the meet
ings an appropriate agreement to the
end that there shall be no more often
sive naval war. He declares that he
has listened with qualification and pro-
found emotion to the expressions Of
cordial agreement in principle with the
American proposal.
The committee plan of negotiating
the arms agreement has been decided
upon, as it will permit greater liberty
Of confidential expression by delegates.
After a debate which developed
widely separated views on the advis-
ability Of giving publicity to the ne
gotiations, the Big Five, comprising
the chief delegates Of the United
States, England, France, Italy and
Japan, settled on the committee plan
as the only acceptable solution.
To one committee, whose member
ship will be identical with that Of the
full conference itself, has been assign
ed the task Of working out q solution
of the far eastern problems. Another,
composed Of all the delegates Of the
five great powers, has been created to
take over the negotiations on the main
topic Of armament limitation. Since
only the delegates Of the five powers
are qualified to act on armament lin
itation in the conference, the result
in each case will be to resolve the del
egates into a committee Of the whole.
Although none Of the officials volun-
teer any prediction prior to the assem-
bling Of the new committees, it il
presumed that the meeting will be held
behind closed doors and that the pub
lie will get glimpse Of the proceed
ings when the delegates have an i'm
portant decision to report to the con-
ference.
The committee plan was agreed upon
because it will permit greater liberty
of confidential expression between the
various representative and will OBJ
viate much Of the procedure that would
be necessary should the sessions con-
tinue entirely in the open. Another
argument used is that it will facilitate
such notifications Of the program as
may become necessary through any
changes in the personnel Of the var
ious delegations and in the diplomatic
situation generally confronting the
conference.
Actual cost to the United States Of
scrapping the present naval building
program will be between $40O, O,0OO, 900
and $500, ,000, 900, exclusive Of any SAL
wage plan that might reduce this to-
tai, according to naval officers. In his
statement to the conference on limita-
tion Of armaments Secretary Hughes
says that work already done has cost
1890, ,000, 900, but these figures do not
include costs incident to abandonment
Of the ships under construction.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt says
that the American program will save
the government about $500, 900 900 in
naval expenditures, the difference be-
tween the total cost Of completing the
ships and what scrapping them will
cost.
There is no intention on the part Of
the government to stop work on the
new ships until an agreement 10
reached by the conference and ratified
by the governments involved.
The eyes Of a war-weary world are
upon the delegates at the conference,
and the prayers Of people all over
civilization are being offered to the
Almighty that something be done to
reduce the awful burden of taxation
the world is suffering under. The
greatest conference in history is now
in session and If President Harding is
successful in putting his idea Of world
peace across his name will head the
list in the hall Of fame.
Large Potato Yield
Securing q yield of 1894 bushels of
potatoes to the acre, Lawrence Cusick
Of COpswe1l has aet mark yvhich