River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-11-24
Our Weekly Letter
From Washington
BY James A. Frear, M. c.

ldI4 vi eidtC iiAeiiI5 al bHN iietiA'S ~
the United States to the conference
delegates The impressions of a lay
man who has given some study to the
general subject are offered however
for what they are worth.
Congress occupied over one third
of the total seating capacity OF the
Conference hall and Senators and
Members were there to watch every
development. According to custom.
those present looked for formal pros
ceedings with doubts that the real
negotiations would be conducted IN
public or to use the expression III
cards were to be laid on the table.
President Harding's address to the
Conference gave assurance that ne
believed disarmament understand
ing would be reached. Speaking for
this government he placed before the
world our unselfish purposes IN call
ing nations together to reach agfee-
ment if possible for ending OF wars
so that his speech was sequence TO
the services of the preceding day at
Arlington and mentioned briefly the
horrors of war, the tremendous econ
omic waste and heavy tax burdens
affecting the entire world. Protest
was registered against conditions tnat
made war the final arbiter, and all
the delegates rose with the guest
ard joined in generous applause Wnen
President Harding finished and re-
tired from the conference.
Secretary Hughes was then made
permanent chairman on motion OF
Balfour Of England who said that
apart from custom which accorded
-. 4 liz ifsyl
he felt Secretary Hughes was un-
animously recognized to be the man
for the place. The delegates and aud
ience had hardly Settled down to lis
ten to hopes held by the world and OF
duties faced by the Conference, before
Secretary Hughes brought them to
their feet with his announcement
that this is no time for resolutions
but time for action
Briefly. he traced the reasons for
failure of disarmament conferences
IN the past and emphasized the dis
appointing efforts of Gar Nicholas
to secure any agreement of nations to
disarm. Failure then was followed by
feyerish war presentations and the
wreck of Russia with wide spread
war. Mr.. Hughes then offered con-
crete proposals whereby the United
States. England and Japan the three
nations with large navies should join
in a ten year naval holiday or in 9TH
er words, refrain from warship con-
struction for ten years. He stated
fifteen American ships now under
construction OH which $330,000, 00o
rad been spent would be "serapped"
and with obsolete warships to be des-
troyed would mean a total loss OF
$4,000 tons to our navy.
The ships that England and japan
were asked to "scrap" were named
and proportionate reduction of arna-
naents asked all to the end that pres
emf tax burdens of these countries
may be reduced and the people of the
entire world given relief from war
preparations.
The visiting delegates listened in
tently and interpreters gave to those
who did not understand English the
nature of the proposals. They looked
in establishment when Senator's and
Representative vigorously applauded
and some times cheered the speaker
until finally catching the spirit of the
notable occasion thew stood and Joined
in the applause. Sitting among the
press reporters William Jenn-n~'
Bryan watched proceedings apparent
" in doubt at first, but finally he
was among the lusty applauders. Per
) shing behind and at the left of Secre-
tary Hughes. Gompers three seats
back to the right Chief Justice Taft
Vice President Coolidge and Speaker
Gillett in an upper box with army and
naval experts present, al rose to
their feet reneatedly in lesuonse to
Hughes statement that action not
talk was to be the keynote and cards
must be placed on the table figurativ-
civ speaking. Aside from the Pro9l-
dent, Cabinet and four American dele
gates, no delegate. Senator Memne'
Of Congress or other official haf
notice of the American proposal until
made on the floor By a man who once
came within1a few votes of the Presl-
dency has since been Justice of the
Supreme Court. Secretary of State
end is now chairman of the most not
able conference held in all history.
An optomistic spirit prevailed after
the meetino that seemed charged wit
electricity because of its tremendous
importance to the world At the
second meeting Balfopr, Kato, BRAND
ard Others predicted success but
whatever the result every American
has reason to be proud of the STRAIGHT
forward frankness of Secretarv
Hughes in handling this delicate but
tremendously important international
rroposition. Succes~ nav hinge on
it's form of Introduction hut our corn
fry cannot now be held responsible
for failure for it has carried the hopes
of the world a long way toward the
ending of wars with reasonable Ger
tainty that our present annual naval
bill Of nearly half billion dollars VIII
be reduced to Dre-war size. With 2
naval holiday civilization may return
to sane reasoning so that the mind 3
and consciences of men will conceive
some other wav of settling interna
tional differences than through we.
Examination viii take place Dee
10th at Eau Claire Stanley, La Crosse
and Winona for Alma Arcadia Aug
VISTA Tndenendence and Prescott post