Evening star., 1921-07-12
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


The disarmament conference of tho
great powers to be held here next
autumn will not be a eecret conclaye.
Although the invitations were limit
ed to Great Britain. Japan, Italy.
France. the United States and China,
the other nations of the world will
nave an opportunity to keep posted
on what is being done and to offer
concurrently. through diplomatic
channels. any suggestions or ideas
bearing on a solution Of the prob
lens that come up for discussion.
The government here felt that by
asking the group known as the prin-
cipal allied and associated powers
| more progress could be made than
by attempting to have big assem-
bly,. which might resolve itself into
! a debating society and get no re-
| suits. As one official spokesman OF
the conference called by Mr.. Harding
! fs not "a shout in the air." but an
| attempt ito get results"
Far East Must BE Settled.
The same official who. of course. is
conversant with every phase of our
foreign policy, made IT clear that II
was perfectly useless to talk about
IL TIE pTODlenS OF tne
far east were not settled to every
body's satisfaction. He pointed out
| that SO long as people felt insecure
about developments in the Pacific
there would be no inclination to dis
pense with naval armament. In other
words, when the sources OF possible
friction and war were removed once
for all in the Pacific there would be
much more rapid progress toward
disarmament. This. indeed. is the
answer made by government officials
! to the criticism that the disarmament
conference should not have included
a discussion of far eastern prob
lens and that the tangles over the
latter would delay and obstruct the
disarmament movement itself. But the
government takes just the opposite
view-namely. until the questions
pending with Japan and China and
the European and American nations
over the Far East are out of the
way, nobody will make a sincere
move toward limiting armament.
EndeavOr to Achieve Results.
The fact is the conference called
by President Harding is an endeavor
to achieve practical results in the field
Of diplomacy at the same time that an
agreement on naval expense Is at
tempted. Heretofore the main excuse
for armament has been some specter
of war. The United States govern
l.,
French and Italian governments.
which have interests in the far east,
now will seek to establish a series OF
common principles, so as to make it
impracticable for Japan or China to
get tangled up in disputes that will
involve the powers across the Pacific.
The problem of Russia in1ects it,
self incidentally with d big interroga-
| ton mark. Heretofore in every far
eastern dispute handled by the great
powers, whether ii included an ex-
preston of opinion on the open door
! commercially, such as Secretary John
| Hay elected. or whether 1t touches
I questions of territorial integrity, Rus
| sia and Germany were always con-
| suited. In fact. they were principals
in the discussion. But Germany il
powerIess.
She has been ordered disarmed by
the treaty Of Versailles. She IL con-
sidered impotent s. far as leopard
izing anybodys interests in the far
| east. AS for Russia, none Of the big
feels that Russian cooperation at
| this time can be attained.
Out Of Family Circle.
Russia has put herself out of the
| family circle so far as having a voice
! in the decisions of the powers is con-
! cerned. But Russia will eventually
| be bound just the same as Will be
Germany to subscribe to the general
! principles that will be evolved in the
parley on far eaaSern questions here
| next fall. Something more SPECIFIC
and more binding than John Hays
| open door policy, though founded on
the same ideas OF equity and Justice.
| will be formulated with all the SOL
emnity Of q treaty obligation. Pos
| sibly it will not be q mere exchange
| Of notes, for that process has It's dis
advantages in the fact that the chang
| ing administration can ignore the
| action of their predecessors. but prob
ably a treaty or convention will be
| negotiated which will make It un-
I necessary for the British to renew
| their alliance with the Japanese.
1t will put all nations on par ana
remove the so-called sphere OF In
| huence," as well as the special In
terests" which were back Of the
Anglo-Japanese alliance. -.......-
Permitted by League Covenant.
Such a treaty or convention would
he regional understanding" and
as sucl is permitted by the covenant
OF the league of nations While
America is not a member of the
league, nevertheless all the other
powers are bound by the covenant
not to make any treaty fnconsi stent
with that document, and the making
Of a regional understanding IL wholly
| IN line with the principles Of the COW
enant The object of the regional
understanding will he not to protect
special interests. but to promote the
Continual on FaEs 4. Column 81
q % q a. =, . 50