The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-10-17
LLOYD george
COMING AFTER ALL
Will Attend Conference on
Limitation of
Armament
HARDING ANXIOUS
TO MEET PREMIER
Believed Many Questions Outside Those
of Disarmament and Far East VIII
Come Up for COnsideration-Finan
ciaI Problem Important.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Dispatch to The Reformer)
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17.-Prime Min
lister Lloyd George has changed his mind
and will come to the armament confer
ence. ... ..-
Behind that terse announcement from
London lies an interesting story which Is
Just coming to the surface. 1t will be re-
called that cablegrams from Europe indl-
Gated a few weeks ago that the British
prime minister felt he would be too busy
to come to America. The American am
bassador at London heard the same and
rqported it to the Washington govern
ment. The chagrin and disappointment
of President Harding over that piece OF
news was not concealed. Did the British
prime minister realize what was going
to happen at the Washington conference
Did he know that America was hoping Tor
practical progress and that very little
Speed could be made if a delegation had
to cable home every few hours for lnstruc-
tiOns?
Whether anything was said informally
to the British government about 1t can
not of course be disclosed, but it was not
long before the British learned OF the
effect which had been produced by the
announcement that Lloyd George wasn't
coming \ president of the United States
had broken a precedent to visit Europe
in the interest OF more expeditions nego-
tiation and it was felt here that Brltlsh
prime minister might return the courtesy.
From the standpoint of friendly relations
nothing could be more helpful than per
sonaI contact between the head of the
British government and our own eXecu-
tives This viewpoint was convincing ana
the British prime minister IS coming at
last.
Length of Stay Uncertain.
Just how long Mr.. Lloyd George will
stay is uncertain, but within the last fort
night enough has developed on the inside
of the whole business TO show the British
prime minister that if he had any idea
the Washington conference was to be an
abstract affair. narrowed down merely to
Far Eastern questions and naval arna-
ment. he is grossly mistaken. 1t now de-
veloDS that collateral issues are expected
to be taken up which may eventually tran
Scend in Importance the original OBJECTS
of the conference. This is not saying that
the Far Eastern problems or armament
Will not be given first consideration for
the prime effort will be to reach an agree
ment But il does mean that the question
of land armament which has so much to
do with the enormous expenditures of Eu-
ropean countries, particularly France, will
bring forcibly to Americas attention the
necessity for finding way to relieve
France.
Premier BRAND has realized the extent
to which the Washington conference may
go in solving the problems closest to the
heart of the French people and perhaps
unhesitatingIy announced his intention of
coming here. How shall France be per-
suaded to diSarm? She is maintaining
her army largely because she believes it
win be the only way to collect the repara-
tons debt. But the United States has a
large debt, too, and payments to her are
in reality dependent upon the way the
Germans pay their bills. Officially, there
has never been any admission here that
the war debts of the United States depend
upon the payment by Germany of her
obligations, but the fact is the relation
ship is becoming more and more a factor
in drawing the United States into Co
operation with the powers of Europe.
Close Working Arrangements.
America may not have accepted the
formula of international cooperation laid
out by the league of nations, but Presi-
Jdent Harding's formula calls no less for
close working arrangements with the
European powers in the hope of accom-
plSning nnanClal Stabllty. Before the
Washington conference is over. the prob
lem of the German debt may be discussed
informally here. Nothing would please
Great Britain and France more than to
have America come back actively and
offer her advice and judgment in reaching
an economic equilibrium again. Ihterna-
tiOnal exchange depends upon it. The re-
opening of Americas export trade rests
upon it. Unemployment in the United
States has a direct bearing upon it.
ldealism alone is not the deciding force
here, but a growing appreciation of the
fact that the French army is maintained
and Americas debts are unpaid simply
because no way has been found to guar
antee the payment of the German debt
and to prevent German aggression. Polit-
ical remedies were rejected by President
Harding when he refused to accept the
covenant of the league
Financial remedies are now being dis
cussed. America, it is suggested. might
eventually join in a general refunaing
plan whereby reparation bonds might
really bear the endorsement of all the
powers. That will not come indeed until
the German indemnity is reduced to a