The Washington times., 1921-11-27

and ethical progress, as was
tated peace of Versailles, I
that the human race is ripe f
The desperate struggle for free
dom that little Ireland. for instance,
has been making for centuries and
still Is making. only goes to prove
that not even brutal expenditure
OF force on the part of over
whelmingly superior power is able
to maintain a state Of permanent
peace.
Moreover, 1t would be a difficult
matter for me to express an expert
opinion in regard to the outcome Of
the Washington conference SO long
as 1 am ignorant of the agreements,
either direct or indirect. into which
the participating powers entered
prior to converting the conference.
Hughes Proposals Sensible.
I am therefore capable Of giving
only c few general Impressions
rather than Of expressing a positive
opinion. The proposals for disarm-
ament made by Secretary Hughes
In opening the conference seem to
me reasonable and sensible. On one
hand. they indicate absolute har.
mony existing between England
and the United States, which In my
opinion already existed both before
and during the world war. On the
other hand, America has taken the
precaution of guaranteeing to her
self a decisive position on all
weighty international questions in
future.
This seems to me to be a quite
logical outcome Of the fact that the
center Of gravity Of world interests
has been shifted from Europe to
America, and that by virtue of this
newly acquired power the United
States now assumes the authority
Of a natural arbitrator of the worlds
destinies.
British Superiority Important.
But despite the very logical
friendship existing today between
England and the United States, L
nevertheless find America Justified
from the standpoint of statemanship
in keeping in mind thu eventuality
that the time might come when for
some reason not now perceptible
this friendship would be weakened
and that. in such event and not
wltns'ahoihs inc leI,eiraous I'M
Strength Of late. naval superiority
.ti,I rsynains With the English ana
this Hunremacy will certainly be
naintained for sone time to come.
This superiority not only consists
In oreater number Of ships. the
centuries old tradition and wider
exnertence in the conduct Of naval
warfare, but also In the compre-
hensiye system of naval bases Eng
land possessss throughout the
world.
shall not touch here upon the
notential Influence that Japan as a
nowerful factor will be able to exert
upon international questions.
AoVantAse W ". .. n'ioi'
After the expiration OF the ten
years naval CONSTRUCTION hoi'oAy'
conditions 1aVorlns America VIII
have undergone oecioeo ehahse'
All available snip material owned py
the powers participating III 'he pro-
gram OF naVai oisarrhaiheh' VIII u
very large extent nave oeeoihe
obsolete or superahhua.ea III inc
course OF ten years ne eh'ife
question will be further influenced
by new technical achievements
made during that period.
Measures providing for interna-
tional suppression and restrictions
upon isolated technical inventions.
which would certainly be desired by
certain of the interested parties,
could never be enforced when 1t came
to a conflict involving the vital in
terests of nations. We have been
taught this by experience, and such
a thing only conforms to sound,
healthy sense Of the realities. The
same will be true Of submarines, Ale
H.