The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-12-01
PUBLIC OPINION
SOLID FOR PEACE
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
TELLS OF SITUATION AT
CONFERENCE
JAPAN IS PRINCIPAL TROUBLE MAKER
Optimism Prevails, However, With
Confidence Existing Between
All Diplomats.

-
entitled to great weight at this par
ticular time, and Senator Borah says
the navy-scrapping program is in the
main the result of public opinion. No
man in the senate did more than the
Idaho stateman to create the public
opinion to which he refers. In these mo-
mentous days in which the attention
of the world is focused on the events
Transporting in Washington, the insist
ent cry is for peace, for such a peace
as it is believed will be possible if
the great conference registers the
heart-throbs of the world.
Secretary of State Hughes fairly
stunned the diplomats of the world
who are representing their countries
in the limitation of ornaments con-
ference, when he proposed naval hol-
iday for ten years and expressed the
willingness of the United States to
scrap part of the present navy. 1t is
a blunt suggestion that the best way
to disarm is to disarm. Great Britain.
Japan and the balance Of the powers
agree to the suggestion in Substance"
Amended proposals are sure to be pre-
scented as the conference progresses.
Navy officials of our own and foreign
countries may be expected to protest
most vigorously against the Hughes
plan, and the men and interests who
profit from building ornaments are
not the class of business men who are
going to see their business go to pot
without making a terrific fight. AL
ready the opposition to the administra-
ton plan, so ably stated by Mr..
Hughes, is beginning to crystalline.
and ~fifty-seven varieties of reasons are
being urged against it. The most
faint-hearted opponents want to keep
the shipbuilding plants alive, and they
state many reasons like that pertain
ing to unemployment, c~onfiscation of
property, etc, but the effect of it all
SO far as the big questions are con-
cerned tends to feed the spark Of mill
tarism, so that the expensive job of
building great battleships may not be
permanently abandoned.
In Washington one hears everywhere
the talk that the big battleships are
already an obsolete instrument of great
warfare. The palaces Of the seas are
in disrepute because airships, chem
icals, and other devices and agencies
proved more effective in the last war,
and science has given them first place
in the needs Of what is referred to as
"the next war" SO much against the
b~attleship, and all Of this favors the
American diplomatic plan.
The outstanding promising feature
Of the conference exists in the appar-
ent confidence of the world diplomats
in the good intentions of each other.
The usual terms of social intercourse
are being cultivated, and the Ameri-
can administration is recognized as
the leading factor not only in handling
the proceedings, but in suggesting new
methods for international diplomacy.
But while our dominant power Is fully
recognized by all, it is still only fair
to the foreigners to say that they do
not regard us as being as unselfish
as we claim we are, or as we believe
ourselves to be. This grows out OF the
fact that it is necessary for our dele
cation to make it very clear to the
Japanese that we disapprove their
course in international affairs, and not
only insist that they shall modify their
policies, but that we will not regard
in a friendly manner their further nj
lance with Great Britain. The Jap
anese in looking out Of their green
goggles see everything in green col
ors; and from the very outset they
have made it clear that they are here
to insist on what they term as "theil
rights" The English, and other con
ferees. while in amiable moods, are
nevertheless in the "hem and haw'
class; and while there Is room fol
optimism, that optimism must be tenn
pered by such knowledge as we have
of the interests of each nation to make
good bargains for the world, but a bet
ter bargain for itself. If one might
know what all these selfish schemes
are that are buzzing under diplomatic
hats, the future of the conference
might be more safely predicted. Blu
In all probability the public never vii
know much about these questions be
cause the groups of the conference
are substantially the outlet by which
secret diplomacy" will arrive at III
covenants, as it was in the beginning
Is now. and likely will be for all time
We do know. however, that there
Is not a clear unanimity of opinion
about the size of the navies to b
kept going under the Hughes sugges
tons. Mr.. Bryan, sitting in the con
ference as a reporter, but neverthe