New-York tribune., 1921-12-02
Britain to Back
Land dDisarrrli,,c
By All Europe
Discussion at This or Next
Conference Expected to
Bring Germany aud Bal
kan States 10 Washington
Irish Situation a Factor
Lloyd George to Make Trip
Despite Sinn Fein Effort,
Delegates Here Believe
BY P. w. Wilson

~ - w. WllSON
For years American correspondent Of
"The London Daily Ncrs' and former
Member Of Parliament.
Copyright, 1921, Now FORK Tribune Inc.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 1.--Convinccd
as she IS that over battlcships and
the Pacific there will be ultimate sue
cess in the armament limitation con-
ference at comparatively early date,
Britain, as represented at Washington,
is thinking less of these immediate
matters than Of other issues even more
important to her. which must be faced
and decided, one way or the other, be-
fore the conference separates. First
among these questions is the future Of
submarines, which Britain would like
to see entirely abolished. Land dis
armament is included in the agenda Of
the conference, but is not as yet under
the actual consideration of the arnla-
ments committee.
1t is understood that Senator Schan-
ger, speaking for Italy, may make him
self responsible for leading this or
some future conference on this ques-
tion, in which initiative he would be
supported by Great Britain when the
time comes. According to the Italian
delegation, disarmament on land af-
fects eastern Europe and the Balkans
as much as it affects western Europe
and the Rhine. The discussion would
in Washington of nations not at pres
ent invited there, Poland, for instance,
and Rumania, and Czecho-Slovakia.
and Greece, and Jugo-Slavia and
doubtless others. Germany also would
have to come, so it is thought, If only
to make her reply to the allegations
Of France. For these reasons. Britain
is content to see disarmament on land
taken up after immediate questions on
the Washington agenda have been dis
posed Of.
Japan's Attitude Not Revealed
1t is taken for granted that Secre-
tary Hughes, as chairman Of the con-
ference, will do all in his power to
facilitate the expression of the Italian
view. Maintaining, as they do, only a
minimum army, the United States and
the British Empire are not themselves
directly interested in what Italy has
to propose. The attitude Of Japan to-
ward disarmament on land is at present
watehful but undisclosed. 1t is by no
means certain, however, that it would
be hostile. Given settlement in the
Far East, Japan might be very glad to
reduce her present burdensome estab-
Hshments. The assumption is. of
course, that she would net be asked to
decide on the matter until naval and
Pacific questions, now under discus
sion, were determined in friendly
manner. Japan. having then nothing
to fight for, might be ready to have
nlucn smaller number Of soldiers to
fight with.
The country to which peaceful di-
piomacy must make the most earnest
and friendly appeal is France. The
position of France at the moment is
that she has failed to obtain from the
conference either guaranty of her
frontiers or cancellation of her debt,
that she cannot disarm because of Ger
many, that she may have to seize the
Ruhr Valley as the only method of en-
FORCING reparatiOns, and that. the con-
ference being substantially over so far
as she is concerned, M. Viviani has no
reason for deferring his departure be-
yond December ID. France also is dis
turbed by the consideration of Ger
man finance, now progressing in Lon
don, and she threatens military action
1t two years moratorium on German
installments of reparations be granted
without her approval. 1t is with this
situation that the friends OF disarma
ment ON land must deal. Obviously, it
VIII tax their diplomacy to the utmost.
Europe cannot disarm unless France is
convinced
The prospects Of disarmament on
!and are somewhat overloaded by news
from London which, at first SIGHT.
would appear to have nothing to do
with the subject. 1t is a matter of
profound concern to British authorities
at Washington that there should be a
possibility of a collapse in the Irish
negotiations at Downing Street. Opin-
IONS Will differ as to whether the re-
or on Sim Fcin il the truce breaks
down, but opinions will not differ as
to the misfortune which such calam-
ity in Ireland will be to the world at
large. coming, as it would do, at this
particular moment. Neither of the two
parties in Ireland appears to have re-
ceded from its essential position. Bel
fast and it's environs demand their own
life under the British flag. The great
majority Of Irishmen beyond those
limits are supporting the claim for an
lndependent republic. This has been
tho position for years, and after all the
talk it seems to be still the position
to-day.
Under these circumstances, Sim Feiu
would scarcely be human if it did not
seek to prevent Mr.. Lloyd George vis-
iting the Washington conference. This
will be an element in the strategy to
be pursued. The fear is that termi-
nation of the truce would be followed
by renewal OF guerrilla warfare. of
which one object would be to keep the
Prime Minister in London. It would be
admitted probably by the Irish repub-
licans themselves that on the straight
question Of allegiance to the crown Mr.
Lloyd George has behind him the over
whelming support Of British opinion
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