The Semi-weekly leader., 1921-11-19
OFFICIAL AGENDA
ARMS CONFERENCE
Limitation Expected to Be Dis
cussed Before Pacific
Question.

washington, Nov. 12.--While the
armament conference will decide up
on its program of subjects to be con-
sidered, here follows the official a.
genda. which previously has been
suggested by the United States and
will be offered as a working program
on behalf of America, at the open
ing sessions:-
LIMITATION OF ARMAMENT.
II. Limitation of naval arma-
ment, under which shall be discuss
ed: (a) Basis of limitation; (b) ex-
tent; (c) fulfllment.
20. Rules for control of new
agencies of warfare.
"3. Limitation of land ornament.
PACIFIC, FAR EAST QUESTIONS.
'T Questions relating to China;
First, principles to be applied: Sec
ond application. Subjects: (a) Ter
ritorial integrity: (b) administra-
tive integrity; (c) open door-equal-
ity of commercial industrial oppor-
tunity; (d) concessions, monopolies
or preferential economic privileges;
(e) development of railways, includ-
ing plans relating to Chinese East
ern Railway; (f) preferential rail-
road rates; (g) status Of existing
commitments.
20. Siberia (similar headings.)
"3. Mandated islands unless
questions earlier settled.)
Electrical communications in the
Pacific.
"Under the heading of Status of
Existing Commitments 1t is expect
ed that opportunity will be afforded
to consider and to reach an under
standing with respect to unsettled
questions involving the nature and
scope Of commitments under which
claims OF rights may hereafter be
asserted"
The fact that the subject "Limi-
tation of Armaments" precedes the
subject Pacific and Far Eastern
Questions" does not necessarily in
dicate that the two will be taken up
in that order. The conference it's
elf will determine the order in which
the discussions are to be pursued,
and there may even be additions to
the program as the conference gets
under way.
President Harding, in his invita-
tion to the foreign governments,
however, gave the impression, in the
opinion of many observers, that Pa
cifc and Far Eastern questions must
be disposed Of first, when he said
1T is clear that there can be no
final assurance of the peace of the
world in the absence of the desire
for peace, and the prospect for re-
duced ornaments is not hopeful
one unless this desire finds express
ion in practical effort to remove caus-
es of misunderstanding and seek
ground for agreement as to princi-
pies and their application"
1t is possible, however. that al
though the Pacific and Far Eastern
questions may be the first to be dis
posed of, the actual question of Ii
initiation Of armaments may actual
lily first come before the conference,
and in this way.
Any determinations on limitations
of armament necessarily will come
after long preliminary work by COM
mittees of experts and others who
Will probably submit recommended
tions and extensive data to the whole
conference. This will require pro-
bably weeks of study and discussion.
To start the process, and get 1t un-
der way, the conference might ne
cessarily bring the subject officially
before it, and then refer it to COM
mittees for work, and then mean
while go on with the discussion Of
the Far Eastern and Pacific ques-
tions.-Ex.