The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-03


ministration circles yesterday that
there was no sympathy between
President Harding and those who
have declared that his association
OF nations simply contemplated the
United States entering the league
of nations by a back door.
Discredits Borah's Claim.
Criticism along this line. includ-
ing that of Senator Borah and other
leaders of the irreconcilable element
in the Senate. was characterized as
not based upon fact. Nothing OF
the kind ever entered. the mind OF
the President, it was declared upon
the highest authority.
1t was explained that the Presi-
dent was well pleased with the as
sistance that has been given the
conference by the newspapers of
the country generally. IN his opin-
ion only a very small part Of the
press of the nation has tried to
crab" the show. And even though
nothing else should come from the
conference, it was understood to be
the opinion of the President that
the revelation of the American state
Of mind toward any movement de-
signed to end war and enhance
peace must have an enduring and
helpful influence on world opinion.
Would Reach Decisions First.
So far as the suggestion that
other nations of the world should
he invited to approve the completed
program of the present conference is
. .Nn1afnn1 that
President Harding does not think
that anything can be done along
that line until after the conference
has completed consideration of its
agenda and reached a decision on all
problems that are capable of deci-
sion. Then will be time enough to
consider the next move, In the
opinion of the President.
Reports that the President was
concerned because of reports filed
with the advisory committee of the
erican delegation that the pro-
posed naval holiday would very seri-
ously increase the unemployment
problem are declared to be some
what erroneous. The President. it
is understood, does not believe that
there Is any serious danger to be
feared from enforcement of the
naval holiday plan. OF course. the
British and Japanese delegations
expect to make suggestions concern
ing keeping expert warship con-
struction personnel intact. but how
far they will go has not yet been
decided, and will not be until the
capital ship program is completed.
When the attention of American
delegates was called to reports that
Mr.. Baifour had been acting as
mediator between Mr.. Hughes and
Baron kato on the capital ship plan,
they were said to be rather far
/ fetched. There had been no debate
/ OF the proposals, it was explained.
/ The experts had stated the result
of their conclusions, and that was
as far as the whole thing had gone.
A general arbitration treaty be-
| tween the United States and Japan
as insurance against war in the Pa
cific. is being advocated by mer-
bers of the Japanese delegation.
This development follows closely
upon the japanese suggestion that
the prospective agreement on the
reduction and limitation of arma-
ment should be embodied in a
formal treaty ratified by the United
States, Great Britain and Japan
President Harding previously had
made 1t known that there would
he no objection on the part Of the
American government to a treaty
on the navy reduction plan.
Old Bryan Treaty.
The United States, II is believed
would welcome proposals by Japar
as to a general arbitration treaty
There is a treaty between the two
powers now for the reference to
The Hague tribunal of disputes not
involving vital interests, and the
Japanese suggestion involves an ar
bitration treaty of broader scope.
Japan is missing from the list of
about thirty nations which, begin
ming in 1914, entered into the Bryan
peace insurance treaties, which
provide for applying a cooling off,
process to international disputes.
The signatories obligate themselves
not to go to war pending discus
sion of the controversy by a COM
mission. Japan never accepted the
Bryan treaty, but it is explained
that the United States never pressed
her to do so.
Japan Never Pressed.
One spokesman for the Japanese
delegation said that general arbi-
tration between Japan and the