The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-11-26
PROCEEDINGS OF
ARMS CONFERENCE
American Naval Ratio Is In
dorsed by Britain Without
Reservations.

Washington.-The Washington con-
ference completed the first week OF
it's official existence Saturday. Inc
developments follow:
First-America presented her pro-
posals for limitation OF navles by BTU
ain. United States and Japan. These
proposals were accepted in principle
by Great Britain, Japan, France and
Italy, although they did not apply d.
rectly to the navies of France ana
Italy. Amendments were suggested
by both Great Britain and Japan.
Britain seeks further reduction OF SUD-
marines. Japan wants greater al
lowance of tonnage in capital ships.
The whole program is under consid-
Grafton by experts.
Second-Chinese problem taken up.
China presented 10 principles for the
restoration of absolute territorial, eco
nomic and political integrity. These
10 points still are under discussion by
the Far East committee.
Third Secretary Hughes called a
plenary session of the conference for
this week to enable Premier BRAND
to state Frances attitude, particularly
to land disarmament.
Washington.-The big three" of the
arms conference got down to brass
tacks" Saturday on naval armament
limitation.
At conference with Secretary
Hughes in his office, Arthur ]. Bal
four, head Of the British delegation,
and Admiral kato, spokesman for Jap
an, were given, in the most informal
way possible, the exact position or the
United States with respect to the main
point in the American prOgram-end-
ing of competition in naval building.
The open door" in China, consist
emily advocated by the United States
for many years as the backbone OF a
real settlement of Oriental problems,
has been represented in the confer
ence on arms limitation and Far East
ern questions.
The approval of this principle was
voiced in the committee on Far East
ern questions which is in reality the
entire arms conference.
One after another, according to an
official communique, the representa-
tives of the powers, Japan, Great Brit
ain, France Italy Portugal, Belgium
and Holland, arose and endorsed the
open door" The United States and
China, in previous meetings, had re-
iterated their belief that the open
door'-equal commercial and indus
trial opportunity for all nations
should be strictly observed.
The nations joined in expressing
pirations of China, and the meeting
Saturday, conference leaders believe,
augurs we'll for success in settling Far
Eastern problems.
The Japanese took the lead. Ad-
miral Kato, for his nation, declared
unqualifiedly for the open door and
equal opportunity in China
While not supporting China's terri
torial interests in these words, he as
serted Japan wants only peace and
unity in the Far East, has no plans
of ACKNOWLEDGMENT against China and
favors letting her work out her own
domestic destiny. :
Balfour backed up Kato, registering
four Great Britain an endorsement for
the open door, of China's integrity
of non-interference in domestic affairs
and for abandonment Of extra terri
torial rights as soon as that is possible.
China's chief delegate, Alfred SEE,
expressed his appreciation for the
united sympathy for China"
Japan's demand for greater tonnage,
an increase of 10 per cent in the naval
strength allotted to her, passed Mon
day into the realm of technical discus
sion.
American authorities having made it
entirely clear that they will not ap-
prove an increase in Japan's naval
strength, as outlined by Secretary
Hughes, the American, Japanese and
British navies may be said to be 60
ing into executive session to show
each other just what the Hughes pro-
gram means from a technical stand
point.
Admiral Beatty, representing the
British navy; Admiral Coontz, repre-
senting the American navy, and Ad-
miral Kato, who is head of the JAP
anese navy, met to take up the naval
program In detail