The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-11-17

Especial Despatch TO The Retormer.l
D. Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON. Nov -17.-GOvern-
ments do not usually show their hand
early in an international conference but
enough has developed here already to de-
termine what the general course of the
, various nations is to be. Now that the
public sessions are temporarily at an end
it is important to know the principles
and motives which are guiding the differ
ent powers in the secret committee meet
ings where after all the real conclusions
will be reached for. as Bernard Shaw once
said, principles are always easily set
tied but it's the details that cause di-
vorces.'' Here is an outline of what
the different powers are aiming to do as
revealed in private expressions of their
delegates as well as in public utterances.
Great Britain's Aims
First. Great Britain is sincerely trying
to bring about a reduction in the cost
of naval armament and Is ready to agree
in entirety to the American proposal
about Scrapping large battleShps but is
of the submarine and airplane. If the
truth were told, there is a good deal more
fear of those two weapons of warfare
than naval experts like TO admit. Scrap
ping of battleships is not difficult if the
submarine and airplane are to be used as
instruments of offensive war. As the dis
eussions proceed, these two win grow in
Importance. They are the real details
of the naval proposals. The question of
shipyarls for replacement and repairs
viii give little difficulty. AS yet nothing
has been said publicly about the Anglo
all Lv.~ I'll,
| tiCns know the American view. Great
! Britain appears ready to give up the
AngiO-JapaneSe alliance but Will use il
as a bargaining point to gain from the
| United States either an understanding
about the funding of war debts or conces-
, sion in respect of naval matters. The
probabilities are that the British them
| selves have not decided the point but they
| do not know the United States is eager
| to have the alliance abrogated and with
characteristic diplomacy. the British are
waiting the opportune moment 20 obtain
some ''quid pro quo.
Japan's Position
Second. Japan Is rather eager for re-
| duetIOn of naval armament but like Great
| Britain she places great value in the sub
marine. Japan'S decree, however l. to
| use tho submarine and to obtain permits
| sion to build cruising submarines big
| enough to operate at great distances from
| home. This comedies with the wish OF
| American naval experts, too, who believe
| the offensive submarine is a valuable arm
| for possible operations in the Pacific,
| Great Britain has the humanitarian ar
| gument. however. and will emphasize ii
| constantly and probably her view will
| prevail for it Is easy to get public opinion
aroused even to the point perhaps oi
| abolishing submarines altogether. because
| of the fact that their only practicable use
| is by inhumane raids on surface craft
| Japan's real aim at this conference is not
| naval armament which seems easy to adj
| Just. but Far Eastern affairs This
means China. Japan has made it Dlaiu
| that she is willing to 60 alongside the
| great powers i'm their desire to lift the tax
| burden, but that she wants more or less
| free hand in China. Baron Kato is re-
| ported as saying he hoped the United
| States would not unduly Interfere IN
| China" That's the crux of the whole
| thing Japan wants a free hand in China