Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-07-15
Willing to Discuss Disarm-
ament But Not Far
East Problems
BALKs AT CHINA
Washington, However, VIII GO Ahead
With Formal 1nvitatiOns-Others
May Attend

Washington, July l5.-A tnrlgl
it was officially announced ycster
day that the first disarmament con
ference in history is now assured
and that the next step wiz! be the
dispatch of official and formal nv:
tations bearing the time al place
there is profound disappoin ;mcnt II
Administration circles over the fact
that theaJapanese have fail' to as
sent to the inclusion of Pac H., prob
lens in the scope If the "nafercnce
A response was received from
the Japanese Government y:ster-
day indicating the willingness CT
that nation to participate i: a con-
gress of powers called to '!'cnss =
limitation of armamerts. Eus To-
kio very Significantly remained 81
lent upon the question of debating
Tar Eastern issues.
Officials of the State Department
still hope that Japan will come into
the conference without reservation.
but it seemed far from likely hat
she will consent to an internationa.
ccnclave that involves all he' for.
eign problems, but which omits
the mention Of problems snc;: a:
Ireland, Turkey and Russia, which
are causes of friction and ar!na-
ments in other parts of the VOID
If Japan or any other sovereirf
power represented at the conference
refuses to subscribe to the conc'u.
sion of a majority the confera 'ce
will fail. As has been point"Hly
stated by officials of this Govern
ment, no progras or policy adopted
by a majority may be imposed upon
minority. The conference can
only succeed in its highest pur-
poses by unanimous assent to a
plan of action.
It is more than evec evident that
the point which is sticking deepest
into the Japanese mind was the de-
cision of the United States TO include
China among the governments to
sit in the conference. Japanese
statesmen. it is said. resent this and
are convircer that it is absolutely
futile to expect China and Japan
to agree upon policies with respect
to the future of Asia. If by dis
senting, China can defeat the pur-
poses of the conference, it is ileld
by japanese that the conference al
ready is a failure.
These facts, however, will not de
ter the American Government in
following the program tentatively
adopted for the conference. China
has accepted the invitation whole
heartedly and vii! be represented.
This means that six powers. and
possibly others. will have hand in
the proceedings.
Belgium and tie Netherlands have
intimated that they would be pleased
to participate in the conference in
asmuch as each has important inter
ests in the Far East. Whether an
invitation is to be extended to them
is a matter for future determna-
ton. There will be considerable in
formal diplomatic conversation on
the part Of the Big Six group be-
fore the invitation list is extended.
Even if Belgium and the Neither
lands are not included formally in
all likelihood they will be asked to
send unofficial observers to the con
ference, eS will all other nations
which may feel vita! interest in
the outcome of the deliberations.
The original invita- ion list, it is
announced. was limited to those gov
ernments. which maintain heavy
armament either on land or sea
Thereafter China was added when il
seemed desirable to bring Far East.
ern questions into the discussion
A line necessarily had to be drawn
somewhere and it was drawn al
that point tc prevent tho conference
becoming unwieldly. This is thu
reason why ether nations were no
invited to participate.
Whether or not the British do
minions of Canada, Australia. Nev
Zealand and Szuth Africa partic;
pate in the conference is soley
question fer the British Govern