New-York tribune., 1921-11-21
Delegates Too Delighted
With Progress on Ma
vies and Far East to
Risk a Possible Upset
Details of Hughes
Program Now Vital
Japan Still Unreconciled,
But Any Concession Is
Regarded as Dangerous
By Carter ield

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20.-With
armament limitation almost agreed
upon and the Pacific and Far East
ern questions apparently on the way
to harmonious if not ideal settle
ment, the armament conference will
hold it's third meeting tomorrow to
hear the first discussion of land ar
mament reductions.
1t developed tonight that the
British would accept without res
ervation the 5-5-3 ratio proposed
in the American plan for limiting
the capital ships of Great Britain,
the United States and Japan. This
adds even more to what has been
considered almost certainty that
the American plan would be adopted
with very little variation.
Arthur J. Balfour, head of the
British delegation, at the plenary
session of the conference last Tues
day accepted in principle the whole
Hughes program. Tonight, it was
said, the British will accept the
Hughes proposals as to capital ships
without reservation, and that OILY
in regard to submarines and replace
ments have they szy counser pre-
posals to nls..e.
Japan's Position Weakened
The adherence of the British to
the Hughes proposals weakens the
position of Japan, which is demand
ing that it be allowed a larger capi-
tai tonnage than the 5-5-3 ratio
worked out in the Hughes plan.
Eager for speedy return to Europe,
Premier BRAND will be given his op-
portunity at to-morrow's session to
lay the case of France before the
world. The consensus here tonight il
that even the French do not expect any
concrete result to grow out of this
appeal at the conference. They would
like, naturally, to have some guaranty
of protection in case they should be at
tackled again by Germany. Great
Britain, by action of her Parliament,
already has manifested her willingness
to give this sort of guaranty if the
United States will join, but even the
French have admitted that they do
not hope the United States will agree
to any such plan
No Proposal Expected
Hence the French presentation by
M. BRAND tomorrow is expected to
be merely a defense of the main
tenance by the French of a large con-
script army, and not q definite prop-
ostion for the reduction of armies.
There is no real thought here that
the question of land ornaments will
be taken up at the present conference.
There is too much delighted surprise
at what is by way of being accom-
plished for the delegates to be eager
to rush on to take up new problems,
consideration of which may upset all
the things already practically achieved.
The eagerness with which the Pacific
and Far Eastern questions are being
smoothed out on practical rather than
an ideal basis is a good example of the
frame Of mind of the controlling minds
of the conference. With the prospect
of real limitation of naval ornaments
almost achieved and some billions OF
dollars saved their respective taxpav-
ers as a result. they think the confer
ence a huge success, and are intensely
anxious not to start any controversy
which might result in 1t ending fu-
tiiely.
Details OF Armament Vital
Hence the under-surface fight over
details of the armament limitation pro-
gram is actually the most important
thing which is going on. despite spec
tacular gestures. such as N BRAND
will make tomorrow, the issuance Of
series of proposals" by the Chinese.
and the other fireworks which are
being set off from day . day
The Japanese are not reconciled to
the vigorous stand which the Harding
Administration has taken with regard
to their suggestions on tho ratio of
their navy to the British and Amer
lean. They insist that in computing
the ratio the warship Mutso--which
they say was put in commission last
month should be counted. Conceding
that the Mutso was actually put in
commission prior to the convening OF
the conference the Japanese would
have a better case if the Americans did
not fall back on the statement that in
computing the ratio every ship the keel
Of which had been laid was figured
allowing it to count to the exact extent
as If its construction had been COM
pleted.
There has been more concern over the
insistence of the Japanese that they
should be allowed as much tonnage in
airplane carriers as either the Ameri-
can or the British navy. The Japanese
now have two airplane carriers under
construction the total tonnage OF
which will not be far from the total
1fAxvaI h. p,sk