The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-11-12
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an the o1I1ceS or some great American
 corporation The presid ent's speech
 was short, terse and to the point, not
 unlike that of the chairman of such a. board.
 Only the bright colored flags, the
 hundreds of newspaper correspond
 ents. from all parts of the world,
 and the crowded expectant gallaries
 marked this as one of the most. if i not the most, important international
 gatherings in history.
 Washington, Nov 12.-The states men of nine nations, Great and small
 met to-day around a table to try to
 work out by mutual agreement a for
 Inula Of understanding that will make war unnecessary and relesate armies and navies to the rank or
 mere police forces.
 Within sight of the building where
 the statesmen gathered IS the spot
 where was buried one of the mi
 lions of victims of wars terrible ray ages, and it was fresh from the sight of that impressive ceremony that the
 diplomats turned to their labors to- day.
 Seldom, if ever have the great pow
 CTS of the world gathered under aus pices more agreeable or cond11ons more conducive to general peace ano concord among nations. All or the snations resented-America, the British Empire, France, Japan, tLalS' China, Belgium, Holland ana HoTtu- gaI-are at peace, ana LHelt 4r-ftb
 
 the avowed determination or perpet- uating that peace. oe ] Here in the tranquil atmosphere or Washington, thousands od IrfieS nf waT's Yrayages the great nations pro1esS Lo tbelieye that the formula or unog standing which they seek can pc
 The veteran diplomats of Europe swho have participated in every m m sportant international pariey Tor Ite Hast half century character1zed LouaN ; t,neeting as unidue in world history Fa meeting called in advance oL va kdesigned to prevent war, ana Voraa i.a.+ Etary coming together of the great nations to limit the s1ze or eeach othe1 armies and navies.
 Certainly no world conference ever got under way in a more buslness s Fgreat giIded halls, filled with priceless lpaintings,. rich tapestries and ant1que kbric-a-brae in which to meet Ihefe ewere no relics of past conquests hanS- ting on the walls of the conference room in Continental Hall today. Instead there was workmanl1ke room, plainly furnished and devoid or lIhe big, square room was great Fu-shaped table covered with plain kgreen cloth. The covering on the floor was a green rug, equally plain
 The chairs for the delegates, ranged lon the outside of the U were of the Eplain, American business office var1e- ty, uncuSn1Oned ana DSlOIS leach delegate was Q square American tsdesk bIotter pen and ink, a pencil and scratch pad Nothing more. i The only vivid note of color in the iSombre room, aside from the green towering of floor and table, was fur Enished by the flags of the nine nations, Egathered in two clusters immediately lin the back of Americas delegates, fsvho sat at the head of the table. One Scluster contained the flags of the big powers-Japan, Italy, France, Britain, sAsmeriea; An the other 5etd the Hags or gium, Portugal, and China, in the sorder named.
 i A bank of autumn leaves and plams sbehind the figs provided the only floral decorations. and two paintings, one of George Washington. the other of Martha Washington, were the only Rrt objects.
 The meeting was scheduled to open sharply at 1O:30 o'clock. Long be- fore that hour crowds had begun to gather in Seventeenth street to see the great of Europe and Asia meet to- fgether on American soil for the first time in history. Seventeenth street so Hong a quiet thoroughfare has sudden nations.
 i The atmosphere of the meeting at the time Of opening was one of in {tense expectancy. None of the hun dreds of diplomats gathered here from Hhe far corners of the earth will admit that his respective nation has a plan" Each d1sclaims any preconceived no- Etion concerning either limitation of armament or the controversial ques- tlons of the Far East that are to be adjusted.
 program and it was in expectation that this program VII be dtvuIged ear1y in the conference that the dele Sates gathered today.
 What is the American progran, What has she to propose to us?" was fthe question that hung on every lip. Some of the delegates were frankly hopeful that it would be heard from Ihe lips of President Harding hinaseIf- Aout they were doomed to disappoint- nent. The President planned only to welcome the delegates, struck the retiring, leaving to his advisers the task of guiding the American plan tnrough the different members.
 The conference met today to hear 7Pres1dent Harding's keynote s11eecb amid general feeling of optimism. iIhe attitude of pessinism and doubt which was reflected in the capitaIs of Europe immediately foliowine Presi- dent Harding's invitation to the ma uons last July has been replaced bv a feeling that the Washington con terence must accomplish some definite results if the world is to be saved from catastrophe greater than the Hate World War
 -,, | Defegates have come to Washing ipubltely predicting that the conference will be a success; that 1t will be able to reach an agreement limiting the size of armies and navies, that it will so smooth all the friction in China and the Orient as to remove all fears Of a resort to armed conflict.
 The opening session today was ex- pected to be brief and confined solely ito President Harding's address of wei come to the delegates. After that the conference was scheduled +o ad- journ until Monday, when it will meet to effect the permanent organ aization, choose a secretary-generaI decide on the order in which prob lems and questions are to be taken up and upon how many sessions of the conference will be closed and how many open to the press and pulp lie.
 The open sessions will be held as was today's, in the main conference room of Continental Hall, sometimes known as the D. A. R. building It