The New York herald., 1921-11-14

Editor of The London Times.
Spec'ol Despatch 10 THE NEW YonK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
washington, ID. c., Nov. I3. I
Hearts beat high in Washington
to-day. Unless the hopes inspired by
the momentous announcements at
Saturdays opening of the conference
are dashed in the ensuing proceedings
November 10, 1921, may rank with
August 4, 1914, and November II.
1918, as q date of infinite import to
the English-speaking world and as
a turning point In human history.
Trust in the accomplishment of
their task has grown among the dele
gates from day to day. The deep
meaning and religious reverence OF
Fridays ceremony at Arlington, with
It's conscious and deliberate evoca
ton OF the ideals of the Great War
and It's equally deliberate projection
into coming decades Of the resolve
that, in so far as concerted human
endeayor may avail, offensive war
shall henceforth cease, were carried
without suggestion OF continuity, into
the even more pregnant ceremony In
the Continental Memorial Hall yes
terday. The nobility of thought and
unaffected earnestness OF President
Harding's inaugural speech set the
tone OF noble occasion.
Like President Harding. Mr.. Hughes
Is q handsome, virile figure. clear and
firm of speech, grave OF manner, for
getting all oratoricsl device in his alb
sorption in his subject he delivered his
Introductory passages in an even voice.
as free from JUNCTION as from deciama-
tory emphasis The sense of perspective
revealed by his citation of tho late Cars s
rescript to the Powers In 1899. propos-
ing the first Hague conference: his re-
gretful illusions to the feeble results of
that conference and of its successor In
respect to limitation Of armaments; the
vigor OF his references to German op-
position to disarmament in 1907 and to
Germany's Astounding ambition which
lay athwart the promise of the eecond
Hague conference" reassured and graft
fled even the most critical Of his hearers.
Cheers for Hughes's Words.
BuL the auO1enCe was t1rSt rcNSed as.
In a penetrating tone, ne said, The time
has come and this conference has been
called, not for general resolutions ar
mutual advice but for action"
These words evoked ringing cheers.
For the first time the great company
felt the thrill OF impending deeds. Naval
armaments, continued Mr.. Hughes, are
of primary Importance. The core of the
difficulty is competition In naval pro-
grammes. a vital part of the plan for
limitation OF naval armament would be
a naval holiday Then. OIL the basis OF
four general principles. Mr.. Hughes sum-
married. his remarkable proposals
To understand their effect upon the
assembly II is necessary TO remember
that the foreign delegates had not been
prepared in advance for a statement so
concrete and so categorical Some dele
gates may have known that important
suggestions would be made, but none,
not even those who have had the adj
vantage Of intimate intercourse with Mr..
Hughes. knew how Wide would be the
scope and how searching the character
Of the American plan. There is indeed
reason to believe that, in some cases, Mr..
Hughes had laughingly told delegates
that he would not tell them what he IN
tended TO cay.
The ideas formulated by Mr.. Hughes
were not an Improvisation. They have
been carefully worked out. and though