The Washington herald., 1921-08-12
HUGHES SENDS
FORMAL CALL
ON ARMAMENT
Britain, France, Italy
and Japan Are
Invited.
WILL CONSIDER
ARMY AS WELL
President Thinks Naval
Reduction Not Only
Problem.

President Harding's formal invi- |
tation to the allied and associated
powers TO attend a conference IN
November IL. on the
subject of Limitation of armaments
and in connection with which Pa
cifc and Far Eastern questions
will be discussed, was cabled yes
terday BY Secretary of State
Hughes to Great Britain. France.
italy and Japan. An invitation TO
the government of China TO particr-
pate at the conference in the dis
cussion of Pacific and Far East
ern questions also was forwarded.
The invitation. signed by the Sec
retary of State, declares at the
outset that present vast public ex-
penditures by government must be
greatly reduced to free productive
labor of the world from ian eco
nomIc burden too. heavy to be
borne" 1t points out the futillty
of looking for stability or the as
surance Of social justice or the
security OF peace while wasteru.
and unproductive outlays deprive
effort of it's just reward and defeat
the reasonable expectation Of prog
ressI'
Blocks Prosperity.
The greatest encumprance upon
enterprise and national prosperity.
the President says, is the enormous
expense of rival armaments
"Avoidable or extravagant
pense of this nature" the power
are told. mot only is without eco
nomic Justification. but IS a constant
menace TO the peace of the world
rather than an assurance of pres
ervation"
The President emphasizes that
there seems to be no ground for
halting such expenditures unless
the powers can agree upon a sat
isfaetory basis" for their Limitation.
and in his opinion the time is now
opportune for them to approach the
subject directly and IN conference
l. this connection the President
makes It clear that not only the
question of naval armaments should
be considered. but also all other
armament
Control of WeaDons.
In addition to this the invitation
says: 1T may also be found advis-
able to formulate proposals by
which, in the interest OF humanity,
the use of new agencies of warfare
may be suitably controlled"
Although none of the new
agencies of warfare is mentioned in
the invitation. IT is thought to refer
to poison gases and other brutal
agencies developed in the great
war. Some believe the operations
of the submarine also will be dis
cussed.
As to the scope of the conference
the President asserts that II is not
the purpose of the United States to
attempt to define it in relation to
the Pacific and Far East, leaving
this to exchanges between the
powers before the conference meets.
But he is emphatic in asserting that
there should be common under
standings reached on matters which
have been and are" OF interna
tional concern. 1t is assumed here
that this is intended to include such
disputes as that over Shantung and
Tap, which Japan hopes to have
eliminated as matters either already
than two powers.
The Publicity Question.
+ Agitation for open sessions Of the
conference is embarrassing the ad-
ministration somewhat. although
the President and Secretary Hughes
say they will exert their influence
to assure publicity of the actions
l of the conference. The President
believes the conference will make
its own rules governing publicity.
There will be some open sessions
undoubtedly, but to throw all the
sessions open to the public, in the
opinion of the administration, would
be impossible and defeat the pur-
pose of the conference. Assurances
are given that instrumentaUties will
be provided for making public the
news OF the conference upon which
the public may depend for reliable
information. The administration
realizes that the motive power be-
hind the conference is public opin-
ion. and this public opinion must b.
recognized as the deliberations pro.
reed