The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-11-21

sing "details the Japanese have brought
forward a proposal to increase the size
of their navy beyond the point laid down
in the Hughes program which the Japan
csc accepted in principle" last Tuesday.
The answer of the American delega-
ton to such tactics is the outstanding
dramatic event of the conference. Sec
rotary Hughes told President Harding
and the entire cabinet the situation and
was given full approval to go ahead
with the plan he had in mind. 1t is that
1 the American naval proposals must
stand as they are with respect to battle
ships and battle cruisers and that only
by the formula of limitation announced
in the Hughes program can competition
be stopped.
The American answer is made in firm
and Enthusiastically emphatic terms. The
United States delegation does not mean
to be drawn into such a discussion of
details as will endanger the main prin-
ciples which have already been accepted
by Great Britain and Japan. 81 =
Testing L. S. Position
1t was inevitable that a divergence of
opinion would arise and that an effort
should be made to see how strongly en-
trenched the United States really was
behind her proposals. The American del
egation now has left no room for doubt.
As one influential member of the Amer
lean group expressed it, the competition
in big battleships lis over and is a thing
of the past" or else Eve must go ahead
with our building programs" He empha-
sized also a very important point on
which perhaps the japanese misunder-
standing of the American program is
based. Baron Kato put forth the sug-
gestion that Japan needs a sixty per-
cent navy. He pointed to Japan's de-
fensive requirements.
That's where he made his mistake, the
American delegates point out, for the
naval program proposed by Mr.. Hughes
was by no means designed Ito meet the
needs of a nation for if that were the
case there would be endless debate as to
what constituted the real necessities of
each nation and an agreement to stop the
competition in building would probably
be hopeless
The American program, on the other
hand, was based upon an effort to main
tain the existing ratio of strength but
simply not to add any more ships. On
that fundamental. the American delega-
ton remains adamant. There will be
no concessions. no compromises on this
because the American delegates consider
that Japan and Great Britain accepted
the principle last week and any deVia-
ton now would be in unfortunate re-
verSal of view. s--t
Hughes Means What He Says
hHcu SeCitldES I1uSutS uSts the NOtu
principle he means principle" and
when he SAYS the "details" of the pro-
gram remain to be worked out he means
details" That's the first point which
foreign delegates have failed to take into
consideration. Some have imagined that
an acceptance in principle" could cas-
lily be made to satisfy world opinion at
cation of fundamentals could be obtained
when the details were discussed. Sec
rotary Hughes fully intends to hold the
conference to the literal meaning of de-
tails. He considers the principles settled
1t is the acid test of firmneSs which has
been reached. The American delegation
is a unit in its course and behind it is
the full support of President Harding
In the face of the American attitude, the
other nations are not expected TO continue
their opposition or raise extraneouS queS-
tiOns unless of course they wish TO take
full responsibility for a breaking off in
the conference. The American delegates
feel that the opinion of the world sane
toned the Hughes program and that no
nation can afford now to back down on
the pretense of defensive needs"
Seven days of jOckeying in secret con.
ference have brought out the real desires
of the various powers. Some are try
ing, as at Paris. to shake American de-
termination but thus far are meeting a
stone wall. Having taken the initiative,
the American delegation declines to per-
nit the momentum of the conference to be
halted by a revision of fundamentals.
The American delegates have many
advantages in the diplomatic battle. They
have themselves offered to scrap more
tonnage than other nations. They have
put forward a program based upon exist
ing ratio and they know there will be no
naval holiday if the relative strength of
the three big naval powers is altered.
New World VS.. Old World
Looking back over the first week of the
conference, the most interesting thing is
the clash between old world and new
world procedure. The American gov
eminent brought its principles out in the
open and compelled the japanese and
British to answer in the open that they
accepted lin principle This was the
American style of diplomacy and it car
ried with it immediate predictions of sue
cess and enthusiastic comments from the
press of practically the whole world.
Next, however, came the committee meet
ings where the big FIVE" and the big
nine" reminiscent of the big four" and
big ten" of Paris came into being. The
proceedings were secret. No StenographiC
record was kept of what was said. I'M
mediately the japanese and British var
iatiOns upon the American naval propos-
ais We're brought forward and the public
knows only through some unofficial state
ments from the japanese and British
sources to what extent the naval experts
of each country are really trying to up
set the original principles agreed upon.
With the beginning of these secret com
mittee sessions, there has coincidentally
developed fears concerning an ultimate
agreement. The whole atmosphere has
been. changed.
To Offset this to some extent battle
of propaganda and publicity has begun.
Each delegation calls in the correspond
.ents and explains its point of view but in
sists that there must be no direct quota
ton. The delegates virtually answer each
others statements that way through the
press and discussion is continued by in