The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-23
Suggestions for Economic Con-
ference Turned Down Flat.
Consideration of Land Arms
Limitation To Be Restricted.
JAPS JOCKEY FOR POSITION
Hesitate to Ask Farley for Bet
ter Junking Terms.
Naval Commission of AdmiraIs
to Make Its Report.

Washington, Nov. 2S.-The United
States has rejected proposals made by
foreign delegates to the armament
confe -nce that separate economic
conference be held here to discuss
world financial matters, it was stated
Officially today.
All of the participating powers
have made suggestions that there
should be an economic conference, it
was stated, but the United States has
been firm in its stand that the pri-
mary purpose of the present confer
ence is limitation of armaments and
that this government desires to settle
this latter first.
Restrict Land Arms Cut.
Action by the Washington confer
ence in matters of land armaments
will be confined to making regula-
uons to govern the use of gas, air
planes, bombs and similar new
weapons Of modern warfare, and will
not be directed to limiting or reduc-
ing the size of present armies.
This is the message which Pre-
mier BRAND will carry back to France
with him, it is understood, as a re-
suit of today's secret session of the
enLlTelX
10 discussion of land armaments.
After being in session for nearly
three hours, the delegates adjourned
and the Following brief announcement
was made:
THE committee on the subject of
the limitation of ornaments met at
the Pan-American building at 1890
this morning. All members were
present except Baron Shidehara and
Senor Media After general discus
sion of the subject relating to land
armament and new agencies of war
fare, those were referred to the sub
committee consisting of the heads of
the delegations with instructions to
bring in an order of procedure with
regard to these subjects and with
power to appoint subcommittee to
deal with the questions relating to
poison gas, aircraft and rules cf in
ternational law"
No Definite Proposals.
None of the powers, it was under
stood, presented any proposal looking
toward a concrete pronouncement sup
porting the French attitude toward
army reduction as outlined to the full
conferenc, in plenary session Monday
- Premier BRAND.
The debate led the delegates into
a consideration of specific problems
of land armaments and it was decided
to appoint subcommittee to deal with
such subjects as airplaneS, poisonous
gases and other auxiliary means of
warfare.
Premier BRAND attending his last
meeting of the armament group be-
fore his departure for France. made
"A brief presentation of the exact posi-
ton Of his government and it was
said that q general discussion followed
along the lines of that in which the
powers expressed general appreciation
of the French position at Monday
session.
Aft the two hours and a half ses-
sion was over the French premier. de-
spite the failure to make a joint decla- 4
ration Of policy, expressed general
satisfaCtion with the direction the dis
cussions had taken. 1t was also indi-
caded by the French delegates that
NJ. BRAND would return to France
confident that his nations attitude
had the sympathetic understanding of
the other national groups and that
France has nothing to fear from sub
sequent negotiations on land arma-
ments.
China's Future Laid Aside.
From the delicate questions of
China and the Far East, the Wash
ington conference reverted TODAY to
the questions of armaments
The delegates of the five great
powers laid aside temporarily the mat
ter of adjusting China's fiscal affairs
and met in secret to hear an account
ing OF WhdL lne experts nave been
able to accomplish in the way of rec
onciling views on ships and armies 1
The situation as regards naval !
armament was beclouded with some
uncertainty. The experts of America !
Great Britain, japan, Italy and France !
have been Urestling with the Hughes B
program for ten days and now. from ]
closed doors of their meeting rooms. 4
have seeped many rumors but few
concrete facts
Japs Jockey For Position.
Japan has raised the issue Of ton |
mage; in cautious public utterances
her spokesmen have made it clear that /
they believe that Japan is entitled /
to 70 per cent of the naval strength I;
of the United States and Great Britain !
But to date the japanese spokesmen
have contented themselves with sug-
gesting it thru the American press. (
tC0ntinned ON mace HixI