Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-07-11
Harding to Powers
CONTINUED from Page One)

rection Of the President, in the fol-
lowing statement:
The President, in view of the far
reaching importance Of the question
OF limitation Of ornaments. has APP
preached with informal but definite
inquiry the group Of powers hereto
fore known as the principal allied and
associated powers that IS Great
Britain, France. Italy and Japan, TO
ascertain whether it would be agree
able to them TO take part in a con-
ference on this subject to be held in
Washington at time TO be mutually
agreed upon. If the proposal IS
found 10 be acceptable. formal invita-
tons for such a conference VIII be is
sued.
IT is manifest that the question of
limitation of ornaments has close
relation to Pacific and Far Eastern
problems. and the President has suS-
gested that the powers especially in
terested in these problems should I'm
dertake in connection with this con-
ference the consideration Of all mai
tiers bearing upon their solution, with
q view to reaching common under
standing with respect r. principles
and policy in the Far East. This has
been communicated 70 the powers
concerned and China has also been
invited to take part i'll the discussion
relating 10 Far Eastern problems
The departments statement was
made public without comment and
gested 70 the interested nations a
Joint discussion of the Far Eastern
and Pacific problems came as some
thing Of surprise in Washington.
The departments statement did not
make clear what nations had been
approached on these particular sub
jects. but aside from China. which
was specifically named. it was as
sumed that Great Britain and Japan
were among them.
Renewal of the Anglo japanese al
lance is a subject before the Brit
sh and japanese governments but
whether this is considered by Mr..
, Harding as within the scope OF the
proposed conference on Pacific and
Far Eastern problems has not been
disclosed. Mr.. LLOYD George. the
British prime minister, announced
recently in the House of COmrQons
that lie expected TO have some
statement 10 make with regard 10
the alliance tomorrow. but that this
was dependent upon the replies re-
ceiyed fro mthe United States. Japan
and China
Mr.. HardinS's move with regard 10
, limitation Of anna ment was de
scribed by some OF his advisers as the
/ second step in the working out OF his
international program, adoption Of
the peace resolution having been the
first. Before that resolution was put
through Congress, he sent out in
formal 'feclers'' on the subject of
/ disarmament He now has gone a
step forward IN the development of
this program.
Proposals for conference on
worth disarmament were made in
Congress some months ago in a
resolution by Senator Borah. Rcpub-
lican. Idaho, asking the president 10
invite Great Britain and Japa to
confer with the United States on the
question of limiting naval construc-
ton has been made a part of the
naval appropriation bill and accept
ed both by the Senate and House.
The president. however apparent
ly has gone much further than the
suggestion in the Borah resolution.
His Inquiries have been addressed to
France and Italy-as We'll and there is
nothing in the State Department an
nouncement tonight to suggest that
the limitation of ornaments he con
fined solely to naval construction