Evening star., 1921-10-31
u. S. ARMS PARLEY
DELEGATES RANKED
AS AMBASSADORS
Given Power Which Will
Make Them Equal to For
eign Representatives.
DESIGNATION PUTS THEM
ABOVE AMERICAN ENJOYS
Members in Conference Today to
Further Consider Data on Naval
Armament Limitation.

| The rank of ambassador las been
given to the American delegates to
the conference on Limitation of arma-
| ment and discussion of far-eastern
and Pacific questions the State De-
partment announced today
The declaration of the Presidents
| action was made by Under Secretary
OF State Fletcher, who explained that
the four representatives of the United
states were given ambassadorial rank
so that they might sit in the confer
ence on an equality with TIE dele
gates of the other invited powers.
The delegates. ii also was said,
would by virtue of their special des-
1gnation outrank ambassadors cred
tied to foreign capitals. thereby per-
mitting them to call on amba ssadors
abroad for special information or to
carry out such instructions as agreed
upon.
officials at the State Department
were of the opinion that il would not
be necessary to send the names of
the American delegates to the Senate
for confirmation OF their new desg-
nation. The rank will apply not only
to Eiifu Root and Senators Lodge and
Underwood. but also to Mr. Hughes,
who will sit in the conference not as
Secretary of State. but as a delegate
. of the United States and head of the
| American delegation.
Consider Nnval Armament.
! The American delegates assembled
in the room OF Secretary Hughes at
| the State Department this morning to
| resume consideration of data pre-
| Sented by the Navy Department bear
/ ing on the limitation and reduction
! of naval armament Secretary DENLY
I Assistant Secretary Roosevelt. Ad-
miral Coontz. chief of naval opera
tions and Rear Admiral Pratt attend
/ ed the meeting. All the American
delegates. Secretary Hughes, Senator
Lodge. Senator Underwood and EliEu
Root were present.
! 1t was assumed that the general
! theory of limitation of naval arma-
ment which this government believed
might be successfully applied had
been completed and approved at the
previous meetings of the naval ex-
perts with the delegates and subse-
quent discussion of this matter be-
tween President Harding and the
delegates at a White House dinner.
The naval problem, however. II Is
! generally understood, is the most
| difficult one to come before the ap-
preaching conference and there is
much detail to be gone over with the
| experts before the American dele
gates can feel that they are fully
equipped for the deliberation ahead
| of them.
! Other Delegations Due.
| Included in the consideration cf
naval establishments of the various
powers necessarily is the question OF
I buses, particularly in Pacific waters.
and to some extent the fortifications
that defend various ports. Also in
cluded is the question of the status
of the merchant marine as potential
naval force. and all of these aspecIs
must he considered in formulating an
American program for limitation of
naval armament to be proposed when
the conference assemblies.
The State Department was advised
today Of the addition of a technical
expert to Belgium's delegation to the
conference. in the person of Leon lie
Marie de Warze d'Hermalle. recently
appointed minister to Havana; He
will sail for New York on the Baltic
November 5.
| This week will witness the arrival
of several additional delegations to
the conference. and in the meantime
those now in the city are understood
to he busily at work getting
data into shape for presentation to
the principal delegates. The various
embassies with their regular staffs
also have their hands full at this time
In preparing preliminary matter as
we'll as attending to the housing and
VI
men.
Hopeful Note Voiced.
One striking note is observed TO
characterize all the pre-arrival utter
ances of incoming delegations that
have started for Washington and re-
echoed on arrival here, and that is a
strong spirit of optimism in the sue
lcessful outcome of the conference.
Here and there, to be sure. are found
utterances recognizing the existence
of some of the difficulties ahead, but
no one foresees failure.
That some practical benefit must
and will be deprived as result OF
the full and free interchange of views
upon the interests and rights of the
nations represented, as also upon the
welfare of humanity and the peace
of the world. is forecast by all the
announcements thus far made
And when the delegates are all as
sembled they will find the same spirit
militant in official circles and enter
ftained by the millions of members
of various organizations that have
sent representatives to Washington
as observers on the side lines of the
great international event. 1t is
subject of frequent comment that the
psychology of the situation is all in
one direction, trending to favorable
| outcome of the deliberations of the
conference.
r,ora than made II clear in his un-