The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1921-11-18

stood at the head of the American
bar. For several years he has had the
reputation OF being able to state a
case better than anybody else. He
stated today the position Of the Unit
cd states OF America with a vigor,
condolences and lack of hesitation
that gave thrill to the most ex-
perienced even to the most cynical.
of the politicians and newspapermen
who filled the CHEEKY looking build
ing.
Napolconic Thrust.
For this master stroke in American
diplomacy, the President received
full credit. Tho II fell to Mr.. Hughes
to execute the daring maneuver, the
more thoughtful among those who
walked away from the flag-decorated
building remembered the man who
put Mr.. ltughes in his present posi-
ton: who has modestly backed his
policies; and who himself, gave the
Overture in an address broken into at
intervals by watchful audience that
clapped most surely those statements
that were most specific.
The Hughes-Harding strategy is
now clear to every delegate from
Europe. or Asia. 1t was not guess ed
by one Ct them in advance. The stra-
tesy was made familiar, all the same,
in another field by Napoleon Bona
.parte..
The strategy was to take the often
sive. Plan exactly what you want tc
do. Then surprise the enemy with a
stunning blow in an unexpected quar-
ter.
The enemy in this case was secret
diplomacy. 1t was Old World intri-
gut. 1t was the habit of hunting up
difficulties until the public goes to
sleep and then slipping over the old
stuff.
The unexpected attack was at two
converging points. 1t was in the dis
quieting exactitude with which the
government of the United States told
Gre at Britain and Japan what it eX-
pected them to agree and it was in
the immediate and resounding pub
licity given to this program.
1T was playing tc the gallery
said one experienced foreigner.
Eyes" answered an enthusiastic
American. "The gallery is going to
have a vote in this conference"
Those who have been worrying
with the fear that Representatives of
the United States are incapable of go
ing into conference with the repre-
sentatives of older powers came away
a little dazed Not even they denied
that the first news from the great
arms conference was that Mr.. Hughes
had landed an uppercut on the chin Of
his redoubtable adversary Secret
Diplomacy, alias Traditional States
manship.
Ainorica's Prompt Action Surprises
British Public.
London, Nov. 1.-THE American
suggestion at the Washington con-
ference of a ten-year naval holiday
came as a complete surprise to the
people of this country. the Washing
ton correspondents of the British
newspapers having led the readers
TO believe that no definite American
plans were ready and that the first
ldays proceedings at the conference
would be merely formal. Hence the
program for the wholesale scrappinG
of capital ships created an enormous
sensation when it was announced
, briefly by the London evening papers.
This being Saturday. most of the
public Offices were closed and the
public men were out of town. More
over, the Sunday papers go to press
so early that The editorial writers,
not being In VI session Of complete re-
ports of Secretary Hughes speech,
were unable to appreciate the full
weight of his proposals.