The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-11-12
CONFERENCE TO
DISCUSS TWO
BIG QUESTIONS
Limitation of ornaments and
Settlement of Questions in
Pacific and Far East Com
pose Conference Agenda.
MANY MEETINGS OPEN
(By Associated Press)

conference assembled today.
Gathered about the table were the
chosen representatives of the five
great world powers-the United
States, Great Britain, Italy, France
and Japan.
Seated with them were representa-
tives of the nations which will par
ticipate in the discussions of the Far
Eastern and Pacific questions-China,
Belgium, Netherlands and Portugal
In the background were the many
technical advisers who accompanied
each group-several hundred in all
representing the army and the navy
as well as the fiscal and economic
aspects.
In world Importance, the gathering
ranks with the peace conference OF
Versailles, the conferences for disarm
ament at the Hague, and going tarth-
or back the Congress of Vienna which
thought it was working to preserve
the peace of Europe.
The work of the Washington con-
ference naturally divides into two prin-
cipal phases: the limitation of armam
ents and the settlement of questions
in the Far East and the Pacific which
statesmen fear may have in them the
makings of war. Which will be con-
sldered first, the conference alone can
determine, but there seems to be little
disagreement over a statement that
the two questions are indissolubly
linked, and that neither can be dis
posed of without relation to the other.
Would Remove Causes.
In the viewpoint of the American
government. an agreement on the Pa
cific and Far Eastern questions will
point the way to solution of the arm
mament question because with prooa-
Bile causes for war out of the way the
need of heavy armaments will disap-
pear.
Japan, however. leans to the feeling
that the armament question should be
first disposed Of, and that some OF
the subjects contained in the program
of discussion of Far Eastern and Pa
cific affairs should not come before the
conference but rather should be dis
posed of in negotiations between Japan
and the countries concerned. No one
can forecast how that part of the pro-
gram will be worked out. And upon
how It is worked out depends much OF
what will come of the conference.
The American viewpoint, as it had
been expressed by those with authori-
" to speak for the government Is that
the United States enters the confer
ence asking absolutely nothing for IL
self and seeking only to relieve a tax
burdened world, now making great
economic waste in fear of war. The
American government, It should be
said, denies no nation its place in the
sun" or its opportunity for expansion:
neither does it have any notion Of ask
ing any nation to dispense with the
49, q n
able safety.
Hopes to Point Way
1t seeks only. it may be said by the
some authority. to remove troubles,
which although now little might in the
future grow great, and by doing that
make heavy preDarations for war un-
necessary. Having done that, if it can
he ACCOMPLISHED. America hopes TO
roint tho wav to reduction of aTma-
meuts which will be fair and just to all.
When the call for the conference was
issued 1t was followed by wave Of
uublic feeling that comnlete disarma-
went was the object of the United
States This. however, quickly was
corrected and il was Secretary Hughes
who pointed out that the proper
designation If the affair was "a con
ference on the limitation Of arma
vents" with emphasis being placed or
he word limitation Almost imme-
dtately afterward there were evidences
Of a considerable pressure of pubic
thought in direction of complete dis
a~mament on the ground that if the
United States were to point the way
the remainder Of the world would be
forced by its public opinion TO follow
and swords would he beaten into
-nTf
NAV be said on the highest authority
has no thought of proposing a com
nlete disarmament although there are
indications that il will lead off witt
proposals for reduction which may bt
startling.
Must Decide Publicity
When the conference has disposed
Of its first business of organization
such as the formal election of Secre
tarv Hughes as chairman and the Sc
lection Of another American as secrc
tary general. it will be faced wit
deciding to what extent its deliberl
tons will be open to the worl
through the newspapers. There Is
great pressure of public opinion 70
open sessions: there is also a grea
deal of conviction among those tt
sponsible for the conference tina
some of its deliberations necessaril
must be confidential 1t was forme
Premier Clemenceau who remarked I
former President Wilson: You can
make peace on a street corner.
American officials recognize tn
public demand for information of tn
workings of the conference. and the
have said thew will try to satisfy it i
every way. They say at the same tim
that some of the conference proceed
ings necessarily must be confidential
One of them who is in position t
speak with authority put it this way
''1f all these deliberations are pul
lie there is the possibility that SOM
body will not get up and say what h
ought to say because he wouldn't war
10 sav II in public; there is also tn
possibility that somebody will get Il
and say something he ought not t
say, because he yields to the tempt;
Continued on Page Eleven)