New-York tribune., 1921-11-08
Expert Outlines
British Japan
Arms Attitude
4. Maurice Low, English
Authority, Says Balfour
Delegation Won't Do,ni-
mate Nipponesc Envoys
Present AllianceDiscussed
Contention Is Made Other
Powers See No Menace TO
u. S. III Existing Pact
By A. Maurice Low


By A. Maurice Low
Correspondent of The London Mornao Post
! WASHINGTON. Nov. T.-~Now that
all the delegates to the conference,
with the exception of A. J. Balfour, are
in Washington, it is possible broadly to
sketch the main purposes Of the con-
ference and to indicate the lines of pos
sible divergence which can only be
! reconciled by compromise and conces-
sions.
All the powers agree in priniple in
desiring to achieve three objects which
are fundamental purposes of confer
ence. These are: Firss, the reduction
and limitation Of naval forces to the
lowest point consistent with national
security; second to establish the peace
Of the world by removing the causes
! of political and economic rivalries in
the Far East; third, to guarantee the
open door in China-that is, equal COM
mercial opportunity for all nations-and
to maintain the territorial integrity of
! China.
In addition, the United States wishes
| to bring about the termination of the
Anglo-Japanese alliance. The other
powers, excluding England and Japan,
are not particularly interested in the
alliance, as they do not regard it as
| either military or an economic men,
ace to the United States. 1t is both,
according to American opinion, and is the
most important subject to come be-
fore the conference. There are, Of
course, numerous other questions that
will be discussed, but they are minor,
| ,oI
tions on which all the powers are agreed
in principle and alliance as peculiarly
affecting American interests.
Unanimity of Agreement
With this unanimity of agreement on
fundamentals secured in advance Of
the meeting Of the conference seem
ingly the work of the delegates ought
not to be difficult or long drawn out,
but the Issues are more complex than
mere statement, and much skill and
! will to achieve will be necessary
before a settlement can be reached.
Limitation of armament is the first
item on the agenda drafted by the
State Department, and as this is popu-
largely spoken of as a disarmament
conference to satisfy public expecta-
| tion it will be the first question con-
! sidered.
According to tentative plans, it will
| be referred to a committee of experts
which, it may be confidently predicted,
will not be able to agree on a formula
for submission to the conference for
| several weeks. An American plan has
been drawn up, but it will have to be
modified to be acceptable to the con-
! ference.
While the naval committee is at work
political questions will be taken up
~ h,v J.
political questions embracing every
thing except naval reduction and
eognate subjects. The public may
! bring pressure to bear to have arma-
ments disposed of at once, but that
would be opposed by the British and
j Japanese delegates, who believe it is
impossible to determine the size or
character of navies until the political
causes that have produced friction are
removed. The coupling of the British
and Japanese delegates in the last SEN
tence might create the misleading i'm
preston that they come to Washing
ton with an agreed policy that they will
stand together through thick and thin.
and circumstances will force them to
be on one side of the table, while the
United States is on the other.
This is the popular American belief,
and it is further believed that Japan
will be dominated by Great Britain,
which will be able to control Japanese
action. The American people will learn
soon after the conference meets that
this belief is erroneous.
Each VIII Play Own Hand
Each power. will play its own hand,
! for, despite the alliance, the interests
of Great Britain and Japan in the Far
East are not in all respects identical,
and, while Japan is sincere in her re-
| peatedly expressed desire to be the
means OF bringing about satisfactory
! settlement, she will not be dominated
by Great Britain or any other power
but will carefully protect her own in
! terests.
Nor is it true, as is generally be-
lieved here, that Great Britain will
ference. 1t is perhaps unnecessary to
say that the British delegates will not
| be in a subordinate capacity, but Brit
ish policy at the beginning, at least,
will be to leave the management of
affairs in American hands. That, all
other considerations apart, would be
only courteous. The conference meets
in the American capital on the invita-
| tion of the American President under
the presidency of the American Secre-
tary of State. 1t follows, as matter Of
| course, that the American delegates
will be expected to set the pace and to
make initial proposals.
The most important work of the con-
ference will be to translate the geo
graphical expression, China, into it's
political definition and the result of
that translation will determine the at
titude the United States and Japan.
That power is in a coaciliatory mood,
anxious for settlement, but not to
point OF surrendering what has been
won. If China is map. if the United
States insists that Japan has no rights
in Manchuria, there are grave diff
culties in the way If, on the other
hand, the United States recognizes the
facts of history, even if they do not
square withs the work of map makers,
a way out id clearly seen
Mrs. Harding Aids in
Planting Memorial Trees
Armistice Week Opened bv Set