Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-11-15
TEES
7 D CONSIDER
QUESTIONS UP!
Plan Is Adopted as
Compromise to Settle
Matter of Publicity.
Public Will Glimpse
Proceedings Only as
Decisions Are Made.

/ Washington, Nov. i4.-(By Tho AS
sociated Press.)-The real work OF the
armament negotiations was transfsrrsd
Monday from the open conference to
the more secluded precincts Of tho
committee room. After debate which
developed widely separated views on
the advisability Of giving publicity to
the negotiations, the "big five" COM
prising the chief DELEGATES Of the
United States, Great Britain, France,
Italy and Japan, settled on the COM
| mittee plan as the only acceptable
solution.
| To one committee, whose member
| ship will be identical with that of the
full conference itself, was assigned the
| task of working out solution for the
Far Eastern questions. Another, COM
posed of all the delegates of the five
great rcwers, was created to take over.
| the negotiations on the main topic Of
armament limitation. Since only the
delegates of the five powers are quali-
/, fled to act on armament limitation in
| the conference, the result in each case
will be to resolve the delegates into
committee of the whole
| Although no official would make a
! prediction prior to the assembling Of
| the new committees" the presulnp-
! ton everywhere was that the meeting
would be held behind closed doors and
that the public would get glimpse Of
| the proceedings only when, in their
capacity as committeeman, the dele
gates have an important decision to re.
port to the conference as a whole.
Most Direct Method
This plan was said to have been
agreed to as the most direct method Of
attack on the problems before the con-
ference, since it would permit greater
liberty of confidential expression be-
tween the representatives of the vari-
GUS governments and would obviate
much of the procedure that would be
necessary should the sessions continue
entirely in the open. Another argument
used by those who favored the pro-
posal was that it would facilitate such
notifications of the program as might
become necessary through changes in
the personnel of the various delegations
and in the diplomatic situation general
ly confronting the conference.
One result of the decision may be to
make Tuesdays open session of the
conference the last of those which
precede the period of actual decision
of the questions on which the negotia-
tions hinge.
The most optimistic do not expect
the committees to report without long
study and debate. 1t is pointed out
that there is no injunction against an
open committee meeting but the ikeli-
hood of such development is generally
conceded to be remote at the present
state of the negotiations.
May Form Sub Committees.
An additional result, at least, at the
beginning, will be to permit the whole
body of delegates to deal with subjects
before the conference, instead of leav-
ing the decisions to the ''big five or
til big nine. Creation of suh-com-
mttees are provided for in the pian,
however, should that step BE- f..uad
advisable.
The decision to create the inancnt
committee of the whole" was reached
at a meeting of the heads Of tha asle-
cations of five powers. A plan for the
handling of Ear Eastern questions was
also adopted at later meeting Vt the
heads of all nine of the ielcgations.
1t also was agreed that Tuesdays
open session, an opportunity would be
given for any nation to axpssss ita
views on the American plan for limi.
tation of naval ornaments.
Details of what transpired at Mon
days meetings were kept IN closest
confidence, but it was indicated that
Secretary Hughes for the American
delegation had proposed open sessions
in principle, with frequent executive
sessions whose results should be made
public. Some of the other governments
wanted absolute secrecy and the com.
mittee plan was decided upon by way
of a compromise.
Act as Committees.
The armament proposals Of the
American government came before the
delegation heads incidentally in the
discussion of the procedure and at the
suggestion Of Premier BRAND OF
France. it was decided that each in-
terested nation should first inform the
armament committee how HUGE of the
American plan it could aeeept end
what parts it considered necessary to
amend Suggested suostifntions fe: tn
acceptable portions WouEl pc submit
ted as the negotiations proceed.
In making these decisions, he beads
OF delegations Of the five big rowrrs
acted as committee IN orogrsn and
procedure with respect ~ lle Hmita.
tion Of armaments', and the leads Of
all nine of the delegations acted ms
"cnlnn,ittee on program aud procedure
with respect to Pacific IN. Far East1
ern questions, designations c,nfNrred
at the first meeting OF the full coa-
ference on Saturday. On both Of these
committees. j. Bu.lsr Wright an
official Of the state department, was Y
lco9sinssd = P.1. Two.'
r J 4 q 9 s. q