New-York tribune., 1921-11-16
conference ON
Alert ALWAYS
For Surprises
Hence Comes Upon All as
Japan's Spokesman Rises
to Let the World Know
the Attitude of Nippon
BY Sophie T-readwcn


tor the conference to succeed it will
be necessary for the delegates Of the
different nations. not only to succeed
IN coming to an agreement, but to sue
cesd in understanding each other. "The
economic questions ara not the most
important. but this. can the peoples OF
the world come to an understanding ?"
To-day's meeting seemed to show all
the nations represented at the confer
once squareiy started on this most
difficult road.
The leading representatives of FIVE
great nations spoke. Each speech, and
they were all comparatively short,
seemed perfectly to embody and ex'
Yet each breathed spirit Of concilia-
tion. The soul of each was one CON-
NOR. aim. These speeches were like
soldiers; each of different race, uni
formed in the different trappings Of
different lands, but all falling into one
step, and shoulder to shoulder.
Mr.. Hughes opened the meeting. He
speaks directly without affectation or
oratorical effect, clearly and author
itatively. His great moment came Sat-
urday. To-day he had only to preside
over the conduct Of the conference.
Ralfour's Suayity
Balfour was the first delegate to ex-
press the reactions of Europe to Amer
ica's proposal for a definite, although
partial and temporary, naval disarma-
ment. The British stateman began with
great suavity, but there were certain
phrases tucked here and there in the
complimentary tenor CT his opening
that gave his listeners pause, and
made them fear that his closing words
like "I take mp the challenge" and "the
British empire is more profoundly con-
cerned with all that touches matters
naval than it is possible for any other
nation to be"-"hard, brutal necessi-
ties of claims and obvious facts".-
"our strategic weakness is present in
the minds Of our enemies, if we have
enemies" But it turned out happily
in the end that these were but SUBJ
tie hints that Britannia who rules the
waves has more than any other nation.
at stake in the American plan-but
she is willing to stake it.
"That structure 1.-THE American dis
plan] stands clear and firm,
and in the broad outline, whatever may
happen in the course of these discus
sions during the next few weeks, that
structure will remain as it was pre-
sented by it's original architects for
the admiration and for the use Of man.
kind"
What is evidently the greatest diff
Guilty, from the point Of view OF Eng
land, her spokesman gave out negli-
gently, with deprecatory wave of the
hand:
cat the first glance, for example
and I give it merely as an example
our experts are inclined to think that
perhaps too large tonnage has been
permitted for submarines. The
ted by the new scheme is far in ex-
cess, ! believe, Of the tonnage pos
sessed by any nation at the present
moment, and I only throw it out as
that It may be we'll worth
whether that tonnage
should not be further limited, and
whether, in addition to limiting the
amount Of the tonnage, it might not be
practicable, and, IL practicable, desira-
BILE, to forbid altogether the construc-
ton Of those vast submarines Of great
size, whose whole purpose is
attack, and whose whole purpose prob
ably is attack by methods which civil
liaed nations would regard with hor-
roY."
Submarines Opposed
Evidently England cannot forget, and
will not permit the conference to for
get, the unexpected horror and havoc
in the usually protecting wa
ters of her island shores by the Ger
man submarine. And whatever disarma-
ment agreement is finally reached will
have to take account of the peculiar
weakness to submarine offensive OF
England's island position.
A point in Mr.. Balfour's speech that
evoked in his audieuce laughter, ap-
plause and great sa''efaction was his
reference to the American plan as
ga secret admirably kept" One won
dered If indeed this plan was launched
as the unexpected torpedo it seemed to
without any previous soundings or
aimings being taken. Anyway, hear
ing Mr.. Balfour say so, one was remind
ed Of the delightful confession Of an
other distinguished diplomat some two
hundred years ago. Wasn't 1t Lord
Stanhope who confessed that during
his ministry he always imposed on the
foreign ministers by telling them the
truth? Thinking it Impossible that the
truth should come from the mouth of
to write information to their respec-
tive courts directly contrary to the as
surances he gave them.
Speaking more modernly, psyche
analyst might find an interesting side
light into the mind of the seasoned
British statesmen from the insignifi-
cant fact that he spoke with perfect
smoothness until he came to the in
nocent and admirable phrase, "war shal
never more exist" Here his words un-
consciously tripped.
~Telling It to BRAND"
MIR. Balfour closed his graceful and
eloquent address with q diplomatic
telegram from Lloyd George, and the
official interpreter swiftly took the
door to repeat his words in French.
The American newspaper men call
these constant sepetitions in the diplo-
matte language telling it to BRAND"
But the Trenc} Premier, at first sight,
seems hardly to listen; his entixe at
tention, in fact. seeming TO be devoted
to sketchiug with stubby pencil on
white pad. 1t is only by watching
him rather consistently throughout q
whole meeting thst one realizes that
light sketchins, with him is the ac-
compartment Of heavy thinking In
spite Of the fact that the official inter
prefer Ia man Of genius. able to re-
create In ons language not only the
fact but the spirit OF the other, and
with an cloquence sometimes lacking
IN Tho original thnrA ia on ;nsusienIa