Norwich bulletin., 1921-08-18
Disarmament Debate
 Opens in the Senate
General Sentiment is to Have the Conference Sit With Open Doors.

" AuS. 1t--1nS question Ol l open or secret sessions at the disarma- ment conference started a senate de- bate in which democEats criticised some of the steps taken by the administration and Chairman Lodge of the foreign re- lations committed who has been select ed as one of the American delegates, gave bis colleagues some glimpses of the attitude he intends to adopt in the con- ference.
 The outburst was short lived and failed to develop any general expression of senate opinion on the subject of public or closed sessions. Further debate on the question was assured however, by presentation for future consideration of a measure which Ntoula instruct uhe American delegates 10 insist that the conference sit with open doors.
 Senator Lodge did not express his views in regard to publicity, but he did assert that in the negotiations over dis armament itself he would hold to the principle that the only solution was a general disarmament. He declared no one would work more earnestly for disar- mament that he but that he would hold to an unshaken conviction that to insuHr, success there must be general reductions all alnog the line.
 Later in the day the foreign relations chairman, speaking on a good roads bill, asserted it was false economy 10 save money for roads by taking It away from | the army and navy, whose reductions he asserted, had been carried too far | already under existing conditions. With | out specific mention of the disarmament proposals he reafirmed his belief that this countrX could not now make further curtailments in it's military and naval estamlishments without menacing national security.
 While the senate debate was in pro- gress President Harding listened to the plea of a group of women political lead CTS that he appoint a woman on the Am erican delegation to the conference. and | told them he was confident way would be found to utilize a woman's influence and munitions to aid in the success of the negotiations. The presidents words were variously interpreted by members of the group, but it was said he refrained from a specific statement whether a wo- man would sit in the conference.
 Those who took the petition to the White House were acting for the Nation al League of Women Voters. whose pres ident, Mrs. Maud Wood Park, headed the group and presented a resolution on the subject adopted at a recent oonven. tion of the league. Before their inter-
 view with Mir. Harding the women dis ! d representative Alice Robertson of Okla,
 homa for her declaration that it would be difficult to find a woman qualified tt
 act as delegate In all of the state
 ments it was asserted that Miss Robert
 son could in no sense be r9garded as [ competent spokesman of American wo manhood.
 No names were Suggested to the pres
 ident by his callers. and when they wer'
 asked afterward what woman they con
 sidered qualified they replied by insisting there were So many that they preferred
 to mention none specifically.
 The senate discussion of disarmament
 subjects was started by Senator Harri
 son. democrat, Mississippi when he in
 troduced proposal to bind the American
 delegates to demand open sessions a
 the conference. He presented it as al
 amendment to that section of the ship
 ping board appropriation bill which woul, make ,S200, GOO available to pay expenses
 of the conference and although it dit not come up for immediate considera tion he took the opportunity to common
 on Senator Lodges selection as a dele
 gate.
 r The Massachusetts senator declaret MT. Harrison had done more than an. 1 other person to postpone disarmament ? by sponsoring the rJservations whicl
 killed the league of nations. He adde
 that he hoped to see Senator Boral 7 chosen as a delegate because of his ef forts to crystalize disarmament senti ment, but asserted that it seemed appar . ent there are forces at work in Washing
 ton and through the country for the SC
 lection Of men who do not share tn C views of Senator Borah.
 e When Senator King, democrat Utal d suggested that some members of tn e foreign relations committee explain wh
 Germany had not been invited to tn
 conference, Senator Harrison said he SUI a posed it was because the administratio If has not settled the question whetht r. we are at peace or war with German.