Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-11-27

Words of warning had come from
across the waters just prior to the
first meeting of the conference but the
frankness with which Secretary Hughes
laid down a naval disarmament pro-.
posal on the part of the United States
led many persons to the conclusion that
old world skepticism was out of date
and that new era was indeed about
to open in the dealings of one nation
with another.
Peace is Problem.
But it has been found within the.
last few days-found in that freedom
of discussion, which prevails behind
the closed doors of conference commit
tee rooms-that the old points of fric-
ton, submerged by the riotuous en-
thusiasm which marked the opening
day of the conference, remain among
the older nations and that peace has
it's problems no less than war.
There is nothing but praise among
ner in which Secretary Hughes states
the naval policy of the United States
but they have not followed suit by lay
ing all of their cards and the ace UP
on the table. That is not in the world
diplomacy. Old world diplomacy holds
that if you play your trump cards first,
you have nothing to hold over your
neighbors head toward the end of the
game. Furthermore, the playing of
the trump cards all at once excites the
OnloOkers to an unWonted degree.
As a result of the Hughes type of
diplomacy it would seem the United
States at the moment is not playing the
leading hand in the discussions behind
the closed doors, but the American
delegates believe that public sentiment
is working not alone in the United
States, but in all the countries repre-
sented at the council table.
Secrecy Causes Distrust.
Furthermore, there broods over the
secret committee meetings which are
now the order of the day, the constant
threat Of an open session at which
more plain talking may be heard.
China already intimating that it may
ask for public session in which it
will tell just what the powers are pre-
pairing to do and proposing not to do.
The United States has not made its
Far Eastern position as plain as the
delegates had expected, for they had
based their expectations on Hughes
disarmament bombshell, however there
is a likelihood that if matters take
further turn for the worse, Mr.. Hughes
will call an open session and state the
far eastern policy in terms which none
can misunderstood.
While it is true that the present con-
ference is being held in a new atmos
phere, the participants in it for the
most part are men trained in the old
school of diplomacy, and the old school
of diplomacy moves with deliberate
ness that at times is both puzzling and
disappointing.
Therefore at the end of the first
fortnight Of the conference no single
major point has been settled, and the
old world quarrels are coming in to
make early agreements very impossi-
ble
Playing Lone Hand.
England and France, staunchest of |
all during the war, are at loggerheads !
Europe has known it for several |
ence is emphasizing it and bringing !
it to the attention Of the new world. |
France, therefore is preparing to play |
lone hand in dealing with Germany |
as to reparation payments In the fu |
ture.
France and Italy have many points |
of irritating contact and the fact that |
France has stated that she will not |
reduce the size of her regular army at
any time in the near future is regarded |
by Italy as taEtamount of an announce
awe Italy in many ways.
Japan and China are no nearer |
agreement than on the day the con-
ference opened. AS matter of fact
some new points of friction have de-
veloped and Japan is declaring that |
China should not have been invited to
the conference in the first place.
France hopeful that some sort of
guarantee might be given to her by the
conference has ended much of her
activities with the departure of Pre-
mier BRAND. She has found that her
lConnnued on Page TwoJ J,