The Washington herald., 1921-11-20

Foreign Journalists Mold
Peoples Views of Farley
European Press Reaction Favorable to Hughes
Strong Stand British Liberals OPP
pose Balfour Utterance.

Washington conference are repre-
sented not only by the official dele
gates OF their government, but by
many OF the ablest and most In
fluential Of their writers on public
affairs. The delegates. OF course.
are charged with the important
duty Of presenting and carrying out
the policies Of their governments,
which in turn are theoretically car
ring out the wishes OF their cleo
torates. But It is on the dispatches
OF the correspondents that the cleo
torates will base their opinion of
the conference rather than on those
reports of the delegates which the
several governments think IL is
safe for the public to know. The
articles these correspondents send
back home and the interpretations
of these articles by the editors
will, therefore, have an important
bearing on the conference.
The correspondents from all
countries concerned have expressed
the strongest approval of the
course adopted by Secretary
Hughes at the opening Of the con-
ference. Several of them were
obviously considerably shocked by
the rapidity with which Mr.. Hughes
got down to brass tacks, but after
they had recovered from this shock
they were ready to approve his
proposals. This was particularly
true Of the British correspondents.
Some of the London papers, how
ever. like the Troy Morning Post.
felt il necessary to warn the gov
ernment that il must not go too
far with this disarmament business
and that it should keep in mind
the naval requirements OF the en-
pire. The Japanese press indi-
Gated its acceptance of the pro-
posal in principle, but in the com
ments from Japan prominence has
been given to the statements OF
various navy yard officials who "a
pressed the fear that the ten-year
holiday may seriously affect the
economic situation in Japan by
depriving large numbers OF men
Of employment
Liberals CrfticieI Balfour.
The first evidence that a contro-
versy was developing on the home
fronts came after Mr.. Balfour's
speech accepting in principle for his
government the Hughes proposal
In some way the impression got
abroad that Mr.. Balfour would op-
pose that part Of the program deal
ing with requirements, which would
neoessitate the closing down of
practically all the navy yards for a
period Of ten years. on the ground
that at the end of that period IL
would be impossible to make re-
placements because of the deterior-
: alton of navy yard equipment and
the lack of trained personnel. Brit
ish Liberal papers, notably the
Westminster Gazette and the Lon
don Daily News, Immediately made
known their disapproval Of this po-
sition attributed to Mr.. Balfour.
They declared that 1t was contrary
to the spirit of the American pro-
posal, and that putting navy yards
out of business was the very thing
that everyone hoped would occur.
At the end of ten years the world
might have come to realize the ad-
vantage of extending the holiday
for another period or indefinitely.
The question of naval disarma-
ment is not of paramount interest
to the French except in its bearing
on land disarmament, which will be
taken up later. Such French pub
licists as PertinaX and Stephsne
J Lauzanne, who are inclined to scent
trouble in anything which the Brit
ish government proposes, have al
4 ready found in Mr.. Balfour's speech
things which should be viewed with
alarm. Mr.. Lausanne has most ef-
fectively disposed of the objections
attributed TO the British delegation
in the matter of naval replace
ments. PertinaN has found that the
conference so far is a triumph for
, British diplomacy, and that France
should not hope toSreceive the sup
! port Of anyone when the questions
which vitality affect her come up
: for consideration. He holds that
Brands policy OF alliances" has
tfailed, and that France must realize
that she has to look out for herself.
II is anticipated by certain French
journals that the British will be
, willing to agree to the Limitation
of naval armaments IL they are as
sured that this will be followed by
a reduction OF French land forces
The British are also said to favor
great reduction in the submarines
, of the various navies. 1t is recog-
Eized in France that the subma-
: rines, especially Of the long-cruis-
ing variety, are a menace to Eng
. land, but, on the other hand, since
, the French navy does not contain a
large number of capital ships, the
submarine is held to be a most i'm
: portant part of that navy for purely
defensive purposes. What the
: French, or at least some OF their
: writers, seem to fear lis that the
] Anglo-American understanding will
! be greatly developed by the confer
ence. and that these two powers
, will endeavor to moke France dis
arm without guaranteeing her the
protection from aggression by Ger
= many, which she considers vital.
/, The German press has given a
good deal of attention to the con-
, ference and great efforts have been
: made to find in the proceedings
something which will directly affect
= themselves, or some hint that the
question of. reparations is to be
, brought up for consideration. La
, Nacion. OF Buenos Aires. regards the
conference as a continuation OF the
Paris peace negotiations and be-
lieves, therefore. that the repudia-
|. tion of the Wilson policies has
, amounted to nothing, as America is
again involved in European affairs
The Moscow Prsvda publishes an ar
ticle by Karl Radek which repre-
sents the attitude of the Third In
ternationale. Radek does not be-
lieve that disarmament will really
be discussed The only result of the
conference will be a new grouping
OF powers and an attempt TO make