Evening star., 1921-07-17
LEAGUE TO TAKE Up
EXHAUSTIVE PROBE
INTO DISARMAMENT
Will Proceed FrudentIy Be-
cause Russia and Germany
Are Not Members.
PROPOSAL OF US. PRAISED
AS A ROUTE TO SOLUTION
q. A. L. Fisher SAYS ANY Agree
ment Here Would Conform
With LEAGUE Covenant.
Ey the Associated Press

nations is going ahead with its work
in connection with disarmament on
the theory that II will in nowise in
terfere with the proposed conference
on limitation of armaments in Wash
ington and that 1t may develop in
formation which would be Of use to
such conference. That was the
decision announced at the opening
session today of the temporary mixed
commission for the reduction of
ornaments. appointed by the league
which was presided over by Rene
Niviani of France, chairman Of the
mmission.
NJ. Niviani. H. A. L. Fisher. the
British representative: Senator Carlo
Schanzer of Italy and the delegates
of the leading nations represented on
the commits ission were agreed on this
and also were in accord in praise Of
President Harding's initiative in pro-
posing conference on ornaments
They declared the league could not
but welcome joyfully all deliberations
having in view solution of the
delicate and complex general ques-
ton which the league was studying
effectively.
Will Proceed Prudently.
Brief exchanges of views this morn
ing showed the delegates were i'm
pressed with the necessity Of pro-
ceedins prudently with the question
of easy stages. since it Is impossible
not to take into account the special
situation Of certain countries and
the absence of Russia and Germany
from the league. The commission will
first make general survey of the
situation as set forth by data gath
cred by the ieA9us;a... consultative.
military and naval commission and
appoint subcommiftces to take up
special branches Of The subject.
The tendency in French cireissrto
consider the leagues disarmament
commission useless, in view Of the
proposed Washington conference, was
deprecated by the argument that the
Commissions work In no way prejudices
what any other deliberative body
may do. and the suggestion was made
that M. viviani's work on the COM
mission would make him likely rep
resontative Of France in Washington
in case Premier BRAND should be un-
able to go.
Praises President's Initiative.
M. Viviani. IN his address opening
the sessions. after reviewing the his
tory of the creation Of the commits
sion. said:
after indicating my conception OF
how we should fulfill our mission
feel no hesitation in commenting on
the great and noble initiative taken
by President Harding few days ago.
We have not been surprised that the
head of tie great American nation.
so powerful and so generous. and
which has SO often discussed the
question a. disarmament. should have
Aaken the LEAD in assembling the vari-
out governments for the purpose of
reaching agreements. We should be
the first to congratulate such action
and we are happy to greet this step.
We are glad to be associated in It.
certain that the work we are going
tO prepare cannot but be taken into
consideration by the governments
when we ourselves shall be gathered
next September. having before us
some solutions Of the problems. I do
not say they will be definite. but they
will be precise. :
II may add that the question of dis
armament is so difficult, complex and
delicate that those who discuss 1t
must meet with preconceived notions,
ignorance and prejudices. and must
overcome traditions and economic
difficdaties. There cannot be too many
with this problem. to appeal to pub
lie opinion and to prepare the world
for this question, that should be
solved and definitely solved.
Would Conform to League.
Such Is the spirit in which we must
work.. for truly it would not have
been worth while to have suffered
the attrocious war if we could not
draw fruitful lessons from the sacri-
fees of our sons"
Mr.. Fisher. in an address approv-
ing NJ Vivianrs statement said:
II the Washington conference
should. as must be hoped, reach an
agreement, that agreement certainly
would be in conformity with article
twenty-one of the covenant of the
league. This commission also should
express great satisfaction with the
action taken by President Harding.
which. far from being in opposition
to the general idea of the league. -,
on the contrary. in full conformity
with it's spirit"
He suggested that naval disarma-
ment might be considered separately
from reduction of the land forces. He
said he felt 'the commission willing
ly welcomed the hope expressed at
Washington that a solution Of the
naval disarmament problem might be
reached.
"As to land disarmament" Mr..
(Confinued an P.1e n CoIrsr,n