The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-07-16
NEXT MOVE JAPAN'S.


 Washington, July 16-The next move in the disarmament game is Japan's, it appeared today.
 The United States, it is understood, has made answer to the Japanese in quiry concerning the scope of Presi- dents Harding'S suggested disarma- ment conference, and has informed the leaders of the oriental nation that the question of scope is one which is to be decided by the conferring na- tionS and not by the inviting nation, or any one nation.
 Reports from Paris that the dis armament commission of the League of Nations is apparently disposed to defer action pending the conference proposed by this nation, were received with satisfaction in official circles for it has been suggested that Japan might express a desire to let the pro- posed conference go by the boards on grounds that it was a member of the League of Nations, which had all ready started disarmament proceed ings-
 Secretary of State Hughes and Am bassador Shidhara have exchanged views on the forthcoming barley and it is understood that the Japanese ann bassador has been advised that he may inform his government that the United States has no intention of drafting that agenda for the confer ence nor does it seek to force any policies upon the cOnferr1ng powers The administration holds that the program for the conference should be outlined through negotiations between the invited powers and it iS- under stood that these negotiations are now in progress in an informal way. In quiries which Japanese has made of England and of the United States, have opened the way for an inter change of views, which should assure Japan that there is to be no attempt to enforce decision on specific ques- tions which are not of interest to all powers concerned.
 Suggestions of fear from certain Japanese quarters, that the United States will attempt to bring before the conference questions which Japan believes concern only the United States and Japan, were not sub stantiated by official comment here It was pointed out that the Presi- dent has invited the Allied powers to discuss general principles and that only those questions which effect all the nations can be properly laid be- fore the conference. Japan's View
 Tokio, July 15-(Delayed)-S porters of President Harding's pro- posaI for a disarmament conference expressed the opinion today that such a. conference would interrupt and perhaps block entirely Japanese mih- tary activity in Siberia. It is charg- ed by political opponents of the Hara administration that Japan is illegally holding Vladivostok and other places While the diplomatic advisory | council has announced that Japan will participate in the proposed disarma- ment conference, such participation is l opposed by some of the military lead | CTS They profess to see in disarma- | ment a serious obstacle to Japanese | plans in Asia
 1 The American Commercial attache | who has just returned from Siberia | where he investigated conditions in the Far East Republic, will make 2 personal report to Secretary of State Hughes.
 | The investigator refused to say whether or not he had found thaf | Japan is negotiating for a treaty witt l the Far Eastern Republic. It is possi- | ble that the report of the Commer cial attache to the American Secretary I of State, may have some bearing upor | the proposed disarmament and F'al East conference.
 Count Ozaki, leader of the disarm
 ament movement in Japan, declared | today that Japan should take part 1T | the disarmament conference.
 "We have everything to gain from
 such a meeting" said Count Ozaki. '' | think it was a mistake, however, tt | invite China"