The Washington herald., 1921-10-16

REAT Britain's position IN
.tpproaching conference on NM
Million of ornaments not only
-,.1tI'ha the predominant one, but the
,,os, vital in measuring the success
,or ,vhieb the delegates hope. me
..s+sEss" which Great Britain has IN
+ba game and the size Of her arma-
,,snts make her the power most
TO be considerd.
60 far as Japan Is concerned her
interests are confined to the terri
tory nearest her shores on the
mainland Of Asia and in the group
~ small islands lying north OF the
win the exception of the Philip
nine and Hawaiian islands. the pos
sIons Of the United States are close
10 home. True, the United states
adheres to the Monroe doctrine by
which she reverses the right to eX-
ercise a brotherly protection over
the weaker countries OF South Am
erica and will insist on equal TRACE
rights throughout the world, pu'
her actual possessions, or spheres
~ interest, are small when COM
nared with Great Britains.
Sphere BrOnueus-
France has interests more heartS
naralleling those Of the English
she has extensive colonies In the
Ear East and Africa and Is, OF
course most vitality concerned with
armaments that are likely to prove
nnenacing to the peace of Europe.
But Great Britain is concerned
Win each Of the above questions
and a vast number Of others. Here
tofore Il has been possible to confine
the discussion to the Far East and
the mart adjustments. or agreements
In the Orient, will play in making
great navies unnecessary. But the
Far East Is only one of the many
knotty problems that viii nave 70
he solved before the British can
seriously consider limiting their ma
val forces She owns territory on
every continent. islands in every
ocean, and with every one OF them
there is an internal, or political
situation about which Great Brit
ain has a very definite policy, q
policy that in many instances pre-
cludes the possibility Of scrappinE
any portion Of the navy without
be retained.
In fact it is this peculiar stu
alton Of Great Britain, her alb
solute dependence on sea com
munication for existence, that
causes many observers to look upon
the conference as foredoomed for
those who hope to see any extern
sive curtailment of ornaments.
A lighthouse keeper probably Is in
the best position to comprehend the
perilous position OF Great Britain
In his little home built on piles out
IN the bay. or ocean, he would
starve II il were not for the tender
which visits him each day and
leaves provisions. His sense Of Sc
curity is measured by the seaworthi-
ness of the little craft and the GER
tainty that she will weather any
storm. II anything interferes with
Communication between shore and
the lighthouse for a sufficient period
the people in the lighthouse cease to
exist.
Depends on ships.
The British Isles, cut of from the
mainland of Europe by the English
Chanhel, are line HlSot us
The islands are the home of the en-
pire made up of communities scat
tered throughout the world. Com
munication by sea makes them al
most an integral part of the British
domain. Merchant vessels from the
colonies and dominions bring food
to the British population at home
and raw materials to keep the in
dustries going and to give employ
menr to the people. The raw ma
terials are in turn manufactured and
in British ships go to the ports of
the world, where they are sold to
swell the British exchequer.
So II requires no stretch of the
imagination to see the proposal to