Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-11-29
WASHINGTON
DAY BY DAY
(From our Special correspondent.)

Washington, Nov. 29.-Delegates
to the arms conference are rushing
the naval agreement ahead of all
other things m the hope that the
nations may agree on this at the
earliest possible moment SO that
the public may be encouraged by
tangible and concrete results while
the tedious work of considering Far
Eastern matters is under way.
American naval experts are frank
in their opinion that those who fore
cast a naval agreement this week are
too optimistic. They hardly expect
one for ten days at least and it may
be two weeks before the naval COM
mittee can reconcile the many differ
ences that now exist between the
powers. In fact, the best informa-
tion obtainable from Japan. sources
today is that the managers of that
delegation to the arms conference
are in condition of deadlock" over
the question of naval disarmament,
especially as it applies to the ratio
set aside by the plan of Secretary Of
State Hughes. The Japanese dele.
gates, headed by Admiral Baron
Kato, upon. advice from Tokyo, are
said to be inclined to insist that the
ratio demanded by the head of the
American delegation in SO far as
capital ships, are concerned, should
be increased so as to give japan
greater naval strength in first line
.battleships than is proposed in the
Hughes proposal.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation Of Labor, and
"a member of the Advisory Commit
tee for America to the arms confer
ence did not have his pass to gain
entrance 20 the Navy Department
building yesterday afternoon. where
the session of the conference was
taking place. He. ran up against the
majesty Of the law in the person of
perfectly good private in the ma
rine corps. Gompers tried to explain
who he was. His identity was un-
known to the marine. He argued
with the "devil Dog" but to no avail
Gompers was about to leave the
Navy Building when along came
Under Secretary of State Fletcher,
also a member of the Advisory Com
mittee.
eWill you identify me?" queried
Gompers to the State Department
official.
.1"Of course 1 will. This < is Mr..
Gompers, head Of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor appointed by the
President as a member of the Ad-
yisory Committee to attend its ses-
sion today" said Mr.. Fletcher to the
immovable sentry OF guard.
Without a word, the marine came
to salute and Gompers passed by.
The next time ne promises to have
his Identification card with him.
Apparently, the marines guarding
the Navy Department building are
not on to the signs of the union and
recognize only such authority vested
in the little pasteboards issued by
their superior officers.
Watching over the interests OF 5o,--
100000 inhabitants of the scattered
islands of the Dutch East Indies, the
Netherlands delegation are following
with care the conferences on the
Far East and the Pacific. The Meth
erlands government and people have
high hopes for world peace and Sc
curity as result of the present dis
cussions it was stated in Neither
lands circles here today. Holland
has vital interest not merely in
peace in the Pacific but in good Will
along the Rhine and her delegates
are impressed by President Hardlng's
intention to extend the scope of the
conferences so as to admit an expo.
sition of the German problem and
German difficulties. By coincidence,
the head of the Netherlands delega.
tion is also the president OF the
League of Nations, but at the dele
CATION headquarters the most sym
pathetic interest was shown in the
idea of the Presidents Association
of Nations.
"Details, however, would have to
be worked out" it was said, "before
any deliberate opinion could be fore
cast"
1t can be stated on the highest au-
thority that there is no intention on
the part of President Harding, to in
| vite Germany into the conference
on the limitation of armaments and
| Pacific and Far Eastrn questions. On
E! the contrary, neither Germany nor
any other nation will be asked into
! this conference, and there is no Of
ficial or unofficial statement on the
subjct to justify the conclusion that
any other nation would be invited.
Isaac Gregg.