The daily times., 1921-11-19
1t Was Understood That the
Anglo-Japanese Alliance
and the Far Eastern Oues-
tions Must be Settled Before
Disarmament Could be Dis
cussed, but Hughes Reversed
(By David Lawrence
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily


Times)
Washington, Nov 1S.-The grand
strategy, so to speak, of the United
States delegation at the Armament
Conference is puzzling the represen
tatives of the other countries. This
is mostly because they do not under
stand Hughes, the negotiator.
The various delegations came here
with the idea that the United States
would not consent to the reduction of
her navy without first having a defin
ite understanding of what was to be
done about abrogating the Anglo
Japanese alliance and the settlement
of Far Eastern questions. This infer
ence was drawn from the language
of the original invitation to the pow
ers. When, however, Mr.. Hughes
made his. famous speech at the open
ing session of the conference, some
foreign delegates thought they de-
tected a change of front for Mr..
Hughes said plainly that he believed
the work of the conference could be
SO distributed among committees
without either subject being treated
as hindrance to the proper consid
GRAFTON and disposition of the other.
On that word disposition" is based
the confident statements which have
been issuing from Washington i'll the
last few days that as soon as an
agreement on naval armament is Sc
cured, it would be signed without re-
spect to whether definite agree
ern questions.
Those who have talked with Mr..
Hughes in the last "a hours have
not found him inclined to discourage
ion that it is much wiser for the
whole conference to look at the two
subjects as separate or else there will
be mental reservations in the cOnsid-
Grafton of one subject which might
interfere seriously with the conclu-
sion of an agreement on the other
subject Mr.. Hughes appears to en-
phasize rather the need Of mutual
trust and an atmosphere of friend
illness so that no delegation will sus-
lpect the United States, at least, of
trying to bargain on the naval arma-
ment to secure certain concessions on
Far Eastern questions or vice versa.
But the truth is the key to the
whole situation is more likely to be
found in the mechanics of procedure
than in anything else. If an agree
ment on naval armament could be
reached at once, unquestionably the
American delegation would be tempt
ed to sign it and put it out of the
way as concrete achievement. But
the examina ton by experts takes
time and members of the naval body
with whom this correspondent talked
today were unable to hazard even
guess as to the time that will be
consumed before final signatures can
be attached.
Meanwhile, the effect of Mr..
Hughes tactics thus far has been to
make the British and Japanese dele
cations at least believe that he is so
deeply interested in naval armament
that he would dispose of that ques-
ton quite apart from what happens
on Far Eastern questions. American
officials to whom this view is broach-
ed insist that the foreign delegates do
not know Hughes, the negotiator, and
that if the language of the original
Invitation is examined it will be seen
how important relationship he con-
ceives Far Eastern questions to have
J; with the reduction of sea power in
the Pacific. The British and Japa-
Inese through several of their spokes-
linen have given out the view that
|. they believe the United States dele
lgation is so much compelled for poll
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