The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-22
u. S. FATE DOES
NOT DEPEND ON
DISARM PARLEY
We'll Get Along No
Matter What the
Outcon1e.'
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright, 1921

Especial to The Argus)
| Washington, Sept. 22.-The Unit
ed States government is anxious to
| avoid the creation of an atmos-
phere Of feverish expectation con-
corning the success or failure of
| the forthcoming conference on the
limitation of armaments and far
| eastern questions.
! Cautionary word was passed out
from government sources today in
the hope Of offsetting any impress
sion that the success of the confer
ence is absolutely essential to the
future well-being of the United
States.
"All Cards on Table"
Our government will get along
no matter what the outcome of the
| conference was the way it was
expressed. I'VE are simply laying
all cards on the table in a simple
and straightforward way. We want
to avoid spectacular effects. The
development of anything like a
super-interest would be a mistake,
for we can continue to function
with or without conferences"
The significance of this utter
ance is simply that so many people
are beginning to speculate as to
what will happen if the world con-
ference should fail to agree. Would
1t mean a race for armament su-
premacy? Also, it has been sug-
gested that if some of the powers
fget the idea that the United States
cannot afford to have the confer
ence break up without achieving
results, America would be in an
impossible position at the confer
ence table and might be in the un-
comfortable attitude of host who
could not differ with guests. No
such status is contemplated at this
end. When once the conference is
convened. ii will get down to bus
mess without any frills and with
out any conscious delicacy as 10
the American position.
Subjects Are Broad.
Exchanges of views between the
powers as to what subjects shall
be included in the program of the
conference has developed unanimi-
ty of opinion already The sub
jects are so broad in scope as 10
permit of the widest latits-de 1t
any special order OF consideration
given 10 the topics. Probably the
entire program will be gone over
at the first conference and commit
tees appointed to thresh out moot
points on each topic so that the
whole program will be "in the
works" at one time. Some impress
sion has been created that before
Il
there would be a lengthy discussion
Of far eastern questions and that it
might be months before the real
purpose of the conference-limita-
ton of would be achiev-
ed That is not the basic idea of
the American delegation.
1t is hoped that the experts who
know all subjects from a technical
angle will be put to work at once
and that the delegates will meet
with them. Whenever report is
ready for the full conference, it
will be taken up. OF course, every
body realizes that if friction is to
continue in the far east, the limita-
ton of armaments will not be view
ed as practical by the nations con-
cerned. But instead of waiting for
an agreement on far eastern ques-
tions, the conference will approach
the subject of limiting armaments
on the theory that before the con-
ference is over an agreement on
controversial points will have been
reached.
Thus the world will have an OPP
portunity to know what could be
accomplished in the way of reduced
expense for armament, and this in
formation may perform the service
of leverage in compelling reluctant
elements in the conference to come
to an understanding on far eastern
questions.
Answer to Critics.
This explanation which comes
from official sources is designed to
answer those critics who have i'm
agined that the American govern
ment "bit off more than it could
chew" when it lugged in far east
ern questions along with the PROB
lem of disarmament The Amerl-
can delegation believes all the sub
iects can be handled coucurrently
and that while an argument on far
eastern questions is a necessary
prerequisite to any limitation OF
armament. the whole program Will
he thoroughly canvassed before
final decisions are made. Mean
while there is a sensing here OF
eunerfIuous excitement over the
Conference. Perhaps this arises
from the elaborateness of prepara-
tions being made to handle the con-
terence itself, possibly from the
great amount OF attention DeIns
given it by the newspapers but
the words OF caution are passed out
largely to avoid an arVihclal I'M
preston of what really can pc ac-
complished or what mlshl HapPeH
If the conference failed
THREE MEN MURDERED.
ST. Louis. Mo, Sept TT ne ne