Evening star., 1921-12-16
BRITAIN PAVED Way
FOR 4PARTY PACT
Held Conferences Which
Made President Harding's
Invitation 0pportune.
BY EDWARD PRICE BELL.

Special Gable to The Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright. 1921.
LONDON. England. December l6.-
1t is now permissible to cable specif1-
cally what inspired and justified the
general statements predicting Great
Britain's course at Washington con-
tanned in these dispatches of June
last. Historical discussions were in
progress at that time. Among the
general statements in question were:
at can be affirmed, without reserva-
ton. that nothing will be done by the
British empire in the domain of for
eign affairs except with the knowl-'
edge and approval Of the United
states" And this: prime Minister
Lloyd George is hopeful that the mat
ter Of the Ansio-Japansss alliance ice
Britain. Japan and America" And
this. 1.-The interchanges now taking
place between the premiers of the
British nations, headed by Lloyd
George on the one hand and Ambas-
sador Harvey on the other. have the
character of a conference of the
English speaking world"
Conference in Downing Street.
Now. exactly what was happening
The prime ministers and representa-
tives Of the United Kingdom, the
dominions and India were holding al
most daily conferences in Downing
street. These conferences lasted
throughout the months of June, July
and August. At their very opening
the attention of those present. notably
David Lloyd George. Arthur Meighan
Of Canada. w. NJ. Hughes Of Aus
tralia, w. r. Massey of New Zealand.
Gen. Smuts of South Africa and Sastri
Of India, was concentrated upon the
broad lines of the imperial policy in
cial regard to the Anglo-Japanase
treaty. the future of China and the
bearing of both these questions on
the relations of the British empire
with the United States.
Three main considerations guided
the deliberations: Respect for and
sympathy with the Japanese. recog-
milton of China's immense potential
tiles and her right to seek the un-
trammeled status of a sovereign ma
ton, and the determination Of the
British empire to make friendly Co
operation with the United States the
corner stone of it's foreign policy.
Touching all these considerations and
principles of policy the conferees
were unanimous. The mother coun-
try, the dominions and India agreed
that heavy naval expenditure in the
thing possible must be done to avoid
it. -
At this point in the conference 1t
was decided-every one present voting
in the affirmative-that the British
standpoint should be communicated
with complete frankness to the United
States, Japan and China. with the
object of securing an exchange of
views which might lead to a formal
international conferences. Thereupon
Lord Curzon, secretary of state for
foreign affairs, arranged meeting in
turn with the American. japanese and
Chinese minister's. acquainted them
with the objects of the British empire
and asked for the Views of their gov
ernments. At these meetings, Lord
Curzon, obedient to the instructions
of the imperial conference. expressed
a strong hope that the proposed ex-
change sf views might pave the way
for a conference on the problems Of
the Pacific and the far east.
President Harding's Invitation.
Immediately afterward President