Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-29
Old WORLD ROWS
To PROLONG LIFE
Of ARMS FARLEY
BY ROBERT T. SMALL.
LEASED Wire Service to The Journal.)
Downright ,1921.D


anything approaching a satisfactory
final agreement is impossible before
the conference takes q Christmas
adjournment. This recess undoubt-
edly will come about December 10
and may last until the middle OF
January. The swift movement of
the conference during it's first two
weeks has perhaps created false
impression of a complete serenity
throughout the United States, en-
rendering the belief that at almost
any moment the delegates might
sign on the dotted line and return
triumphantly to their homes.
Words of warning had come from
across the waters just prior to the
first meeting of the conference, but
the frankness with which Secretary
Hughes laid down a naval dlsarma-
ment proposal on the part OF the
United States led many persons to
the conclusion that old world skep-
ticism was out Of date and that a
new era was indeed about to open
in the dealings of one nation with
another.
But it has been found within the
last few days--found in that free
dom of discussion which prevails be-
hind the closed doors of conference
committee rooms-that the old
points of friction submerged by the
riotous enthusiasm which marked
the opening day of the conference.
remain among the older nations, and
that peace has it's problems no less
great than war.
Praise for Hughes
There is nothing but praise among
all the foreign delegates for the man.
ner in which Secretary Hughes
stated the naval policy of the Unit
ed States but they have not fol-
lowed suit by laying all of their
cards face up on the table. That is
not old world diplomacy. Old world
diplomacy holds that if you play
your trump cards first. you have
| nothing to hold over your neighbor' S
head toward the end of the game.
Furthermore, the playing of the big
| trump cards ell at once eXciteS the
onlookers to an unwonted degree.
AS a result of the Hughes type
of diplomacy it would seem that the
| United States at the moment is not
playing the leading hand in the dis
cussions behind the closed doors, but
the American delegates believe pub
| lie sentiment is working. not alone
| in the United States, but in all the
countries represented at the council
tables.
| Furthermore, there broods over the
secret committee meetings which are
now the order Of the day, the con-
slant threat of an open session at
which more plain talking may be
heard. China already is intimat-
ing that it may ask for a public ses-
sion in which it, will tell just what
the powers are proposing to do and
proposing not to do.
The United States has not made
it's Far Eastern position as plain as
the delegates had expected, for they
had based their expectations on the
Hughes disarmament bomb shell
However, there is a likelihood that
if matters take a further turn for
the worst Mr.. Hughes will call an
open session and state the Far East
ern policy in terms which none can
misunderstood.
While it is true the present con,
ference is being held in a. new at
mosphere, the participants in it for
the most part are men trained in
the old schools of diplomacy, and
the old school of diplomacy moves
with q deliberateness that at times
is both puzzling and disappointing.
No Major Point Settled.
Therefore. at the end Of the first
fortnight of the conference. no sin
| gle major has been settled. and
the old world quarrels are coming
in to make early agreements vir-
| tually impossible.
England and France, staunchest
Of allies during the war, are at log
gerheads. Europe has known it for
several months but the Washington
conference is emphasizing it and
bringing it to the attention Of the
new world. France, therefore. is pre-,
pairing to play lone hand in deal
ing with Germany as to PREPARATION
payments in the future.
France and Italy have many points
of irritating contact, and the fact
that France has stated she will not
reduce the size of her regular army
at any time in the near future is re
garded by Italy as tantamount tt
an announcement that France will
continue to over-awe Italy in many
ways.
Japan and China are no nearer
agreement than on the day the con
ference opened. AS a matter of fact
some new points Of friction have de
veloped, and Japan is declaring tina
China should not have been invited
to the conference in the first place
France, hopeful that some sort O.
guarantee might be given to her b!
the conference, has ended much O
her activities with the departure o.
Premier BRAND. She has found tina
her postwar policy. They politely
assured M. BRAND that if "civiliza
ton and the liberty Of peoples" was
again threatened they would once
more throw their entire weight int
the scales.
Differences Over Navies.
There has been no agreement a:
yet as to the capital ship feature OF
the Hughes disarmament program
while France and Italy, and ever
the United States, are standing Ou
for an unlimited construction anc
use of the submarine. England, with
the greatest number Of ships afloat
is anxious to end d race for under
sea supremacy. France insists she
must use the submarine as a defen
siVe weapon.
Japan is insisting that her allot
ment of capital ships is not enough
for her national security" anC
wants a better ratio compared t.
the United States and Great Britain
The delegates of the smaller nations
are asking against whom Japar
must defend her national security
Certainly she does not fear attack
from England, her greatest friend
and ally. And there is no thought
that the United States would ever
attack Japan. We have no Quarre
with Japan. All the misunderstood
ings of the past have emanatet
from Japan.
| Above all there remains to he