Paragould soliphone. (Paragould, Ark.) 1918-1950, 1921-11-25
REAL WORK
OF THE ARMS
MEET BEGINS
Powers Take Up Details of
Naval and Oriental Prob
Iems--Rriand Wants De-
cision.

| and TO armament limitation moved
more slowly yesterday as the atten-
ton of the delegates passed from
general policies to specific details.
| China's economic embarrassments
| formed the text of the Far Eastern
discussions, which resulted in the
appointment Of subcommittee of
representatives of nine nations to
study the whole subject of admins
trative autonomy for the Chinese re-
public, with particular reference to
tariff and tax revisions.
The land armament problem also
was considered at informal confer
ences during the day, and meeting
of the armament committee of the
whole was called for today, with
the expectation that Premier BRAND
of France will say last word as to
his country's attitude on reduction
of armies. 1t is said that he is
anxious to bring the question to the
point of formal expression by the
conference before his departure for
France.
United States Plans to Garry.
On the side of naval armament,
informal exchanges continued be-
tween individual delegates and naval
experts, with an air of growing con-
fidence that details of the American
plan, although requiring considerable
time for determination, eventually
will bring all the powers into agree
ment.
1t is possible the naval plan will
receive some consideration at today 8
meeting of the five delegations
which constitute the armament COM
mittee of the whole, but the greater
attention is expected to center on
land armament, in view of the immi-
nence of M. BRANDS departure. 1t
Is the preservation Of her army with
the moral backing of the principal
powers, that most interests France
at the present stage of the negotia-
tions, and it is known that M. Bri-
and would be pleased to take back
TO France with him a formal con-
ference endorsement. of the position
ne has taken against material reduc-
tion.
Whether the other delegations will
be willing to go SO far as to take
formal action of that character just
now is uncertain, although it is
taken for granted that at today S
meeting there will be many general
expressions of appreciation for the
reasons which impel France to MAIN
tain the largest army in the world.
Advisors Consulted.
Land, naval and Far Eastern ques-
tons were talked over by Secretary
Hughes yesterday with the American
Advisory Committee of N21, and after
he had presented a report on the
present status of the negotiations
several subcommittees were instruct
ed to prepare reports for the Amer
lean delegates on various subjects, in
detail. The submarine issue raised
by Great Britain will be one of the
questions investigated, and another
will be the use and legitimacy of
new weapons of warfare. Thus far
that subject has not been mention
ed in the conference.
NH ~, Chiroco oJ
ministrative autonomy, authorized
yesterday, is expected to find its
chief task in an attempted rear
rangement of the customs regula-
tions, which for many years have
kept China from imposing duty
of more than five per cent on her
imports. In addition, there is ex-
pected to be an inquiry into the
various international agreements by
which certain specified items of the
republics tax returns must be turn
ed over Immediately for payment of
foreign obligations.
China Held Back.
All of these restrictions, the Chi
nese declare, have resulted in such
curtailment of national revenues as
to make economic progress impos-
sible. Since the conference began
the Chinese delegates have empha-
sized the tariff autonomy principle
as one of the most important China
wishes to establish, and there is said
to have been indications in yester-
days discussions that this view met
with sympathy.
The subcommittee, whose mem
bership is yet to be announced, was
authorized at the suggestion of Sen
ator Underwood of the American del
egation, and he is expected to be-