Evening star., 1921-12-06
u. S. NOT 1IRAD|NG''
| FOR AGREEMENTS
''TriaI Balloons" Before Pub
lie Not Discussed in Con-
ference Sessions.
MAIN IDEA STILL STANDS
Americans Feel Subjects Up for
Discussion Are Too Grave to
Be Hurried.
BY LEROY r. VERNON.

BY LEROY T. VERNON.
In the interim between open ses-
sions of the conference on the limita-
tion Of armaments there has been
much talk in Washington about
trades" which will eventually bring
about simultaneous agreements on
naval disarmament and on the far
eastern questions. and also about the
form of the agreements. Up to this
time these suggestions have been
confined to "staff talk'-that is, they
are subjects which entertain the din
ner tables of the staffs of the various
delegations and eventually reach the
public in the form of trial balloons"
None of these subjects have yet been
mentioned in the deliberations of the
conference or of its committees.
Americans Not s'TradinE."
Developments within the confer
ence itself up to this time plainly
point to the fact that the American
delegation is not in the trading
business. There has been a DISPOSE
tion in many quarters to make it ap-
pear that the United States is not
only asking for naval disarmament.
but that it is begging for it Nothing
could be further from the truth. When
secretary Hughes laid down before
the conference the American proposal
on naval disarmament he stated the
terms on which the United States
would consent to disarm
He gave the reasons for the pro-
posal, economic, historical and senti-
mental and invited the other powers
to consider it. That proposal was
based on principle the fairness of
which no other power has seriously
questioned except in few details
The main idea still stands. and the
American delegation is standin-
sQuarely behind il. If this plan is
not acceptable to the other powers
then there can be no agreement
unless some other formula equally
satisfactory is found, and upon that
the United States would reach its.
decision, just as is now being done by
Japan.
Subjects Discussed on Merits.
The criticism has been made that
in laying its cards on the table" on
naval disarmament the American
delegation, in effect. disarmed itself.
and thereby laid itself open to
demand for trades" in reaching an
agreement on far eastern questions
This suggestion is based on the same
erroneous assumption that the
United States is asking or begging
the conference to consent to naval
disarmament, and is ready to pay
any reasonable price to get such an
agreement. In the minds of the
American delegation these two sub
jectS have no relationship of that
II IND hA ~,,sf
ready to consent to naval disarma-
ment on the principle it has laid down.
and it is also ready TO ch an agree
ment on far eastern questions on the
basis of principles to be laid down
which will be as practical clear and
understandable as the proposal on
naval disarmament. Each of these
questions. thus far, is being deter
mined separately upon its merits. and
this method Of procedure will be fol-
: lowed through to the end.
No Line on Agreements.
1t is likewise clear that. with the
exception of military alliances. no line
has yet been drawn by any delegation
| in the conference as TO the form
which agreements reached by the con-
ference may take. That is a bridge
which the statesmen at the conference
| table will not cross until they get to
| 1t. The question of the fulfllment of
the agreements to be reached at this
conference is the last on the official
agenda. In the meantime there is :,
vast amount of staff talk" about
treaties, arbitration treaties, con-
sortiums, ententes and gentlemen
agreements" which is wholly foreign
to the conference itself.
Finally. there is distinct feeling
on the part of the American delegates
that the subjects up for considerat ton
at this conference are too important.
not to say grave, to be disposed of in
a hurry. From the American view
serious purpose; namely, to agree
move from the far eastern question
all threats, suspicious and misunder-
standings which might eventually
lead to war if not disposed of in "A
frank, open and careful way. 1t is
clear, therefore. that the Washington
conference is no place for anybody
who is in a hurry. That is neither the
spirit necessary to the accomplish
ment of agreements nor is it the at
mosphere conducive to deliberation
and complete understanding. 1t is i'm
possible to say how long the confer
ence will continue in action. 1t has
already accomplished more in three
weeks than anybody expected could
may not measure the time yet neces-
sary to bring about the agreements
which the conference was called 10
consummate.
Copyright. 1921