Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-12-30
NATIONS IN ACTION
Close up View Of the Disarmament
Conference.
". +. STEVENSON PAINTS PICTURE

Interesting Description Of How the
Representatives Of the Great Nations
of the World Are Settling the Big
Problems Of the Day.
For The Yorkvilie Enquirer. a
Washington, December 27.-I attend
ed the open plenary session of this
great conference December 10th, when
the -Four Power Treaty" and Chinese
Agreement" were announced. The au-
dience was historic-sayants, states
men, publlcists, practical politicians
and visionary theorists from all over
this country, and all countries In the
world were there.
Judge Hughes presided, and an
nounced at the opening that the reso-
luton to respect and preserve the
rights Of China had been agreed on In
the committee of the whole; that as it
had been fully discussed in committee,
he assumed that no discussion was re-
quired now. So he proce ded to put
the question, first announcing that the
United States assents." Then Belgium
was called and she assented by voting
aye" followed by Great Britain, Chi
ma, France, Italy, Japan, Netherlands,
etc.
Senator Lodge was then called on by
the chairman to announce The Four
Power Treaty" relative to the Pacific.
This he did by reading the treaty as
proposed, and it likewise was assented
to without debate. Then Senator Lodge
was recognized to speak on it.
Members Of congress and the senate
present were struck with this scheme
vote first and then have the oratory. It
has two advantages. O No matter
how foolish the proponent of the meas
ure is, he can't kill his bill or measure,
because 1t has already been adopted.
(2). Those who don't want to speak,
or hear the other man speak, can go to
dinner, and let the orator crate.
| After Lodge, Arthur ]. Balfour, head
of the British delegation, spoke and. as
he always does, he spoke well, but de-
lliberately, searching for the right word,
refusing to proceed until it came to his
mind, and always speaking clearly and
scnsibly. Then NJ. Viviani of the
French delegation speaks. He is a tor
| rent OF eioquence. He speaks In French
and he sweeps along without hesita-
tion, his face expressive and with ges-
lures, and an carnestness that must VI
talizc and throw q French audience In
TO a paroxysm of enthusiasm. Japan
| Is heard through Prince Tokugawa, who
speaks in English briefly. and In bus
iness-likc vein, resembling, in his
method of statement, the British speak
ers. Does the insular position OF these
great nations affect their methods Oh
thought and expression? The spokes-
men of the other nations are heard In
OIL der, and the plenary session ad-
journs.
Let's take q glance at the picture.
The table is practically hollow square,
around the outside Of which are the
members of the delegations and their
personal interpreters. Inside the square
are the four stenographers, the marshal
and the official interpreter. He Is the
wonder of the session. Mr.. Lodge makes
a long speech in Cape Cod English and
twang. The interpreter takes 1t down
in shorthand, and Immediately, when
the senator finishes, he gets up and
reads il off in French as rapidly as de-
liyered by Lodge, minus the twang. MT.
Balfour follows in English, in most
stately periods. The interpreter reads
il from his shorthand notes into French
at once. Viviani makes speech win
all the visor and action and rapidity OF
Solicitor Monroe Spears, when hot att
er a man for murder, and the interpre-
ter having taken it down in French this
time. gets up and reads 1t into Engilsh'
Everybody can understand either Eng
lish or French.
This stenographer her-interpreter Is
wonder, not so much that he can speak
French. English, Italian, ETC., equally
well. but that he can take down a
French speech in shorthand, and imne-
diately read it off in English.
But let us look at the conference
Hughes sits at the head of the table
with Root, Lodge and Underwood on
his right. Next to them are the French
delegation. The leading men on 1t were
BRAND and Viviani. BRAND, medium
sized man with black moustache, ana
q beautiful, melodious voice in speak
ing. and strikingly resembles Ed De-
Camp of the Gaffney Ledger. FiYiani
is large for u Frenchman, rather forld
complexion. and not unlike Monroe
Spears in appearance and movements
NJ. Jusserand, French ambassador, slts
with the delegation; small, alert ana
typicaI F'renchman. Going on to the
right. we reach the Japanese delega-
ton. Admiral Kato is. the leading man,
but he doesn't speak English. lie mas
an Interpreter by his side, and mas
what the boys call good poker race,
there being no show Of emotion in his
countenance. He is thin, almost 10
cmaciation, and looks frail and worn'