The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-07-11
DEFINITE STEPS
TAKEN TOWARD
A CONFERENCE
Discussion of Pacific and Far
Eastern Problems Is Also
Suggested.
CARRYING OUT IDEA
OF BORAH RESOLUTION
Great Britain, France, Italy and
Japan Are Asked to
Take Part.
10y The Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, July 10--President
Harding has taken definite steps lookr
ing to a conference in washington OF
The principal allied and associated
powers to discuss limitation of arma-
nent.
He also has suggested to the inter-
ested nations that there be at the
same time q discussion of Pacific and
lrar-Eastern problems with view to
reaching a common understanding
with respect to principles and policies
in the Far East.
This announcement was made to-
night by the state department by di-
rection OF the president in the fol-
lowing statement:
"The president in view of the far
reaching importance of the question
Of limitation of armaments, has ap-
preached with informal but definite
inquiry the group OF powers hereto
fore known as the principal allied and
associated powers, that is: Great Brit
ain, France, Italy and Japan, to as
certain whether It would be agreeable
10 them to take part in conference,
on this subject to be held in Wash
ington at time to be mutually agreed
upon. If the proposal is found to bo
acceptable formal invitations for such
a conference will be issued.
1T Is manifest that the question of
limitation Of armamen.s has a close
relation to Pacific and Far Eastern
problems, and the president has sug-
gested that the powers especially in
terested in these problems should un-
dertake in connection with this con-
ference. the reaching of common un-
derstanding with respect to principles
and policies In the Far East. This
has been communicated to the powers
concerned and China has also been
invited to take part in the discussion
relating to Far Eastern problems"
The departments statement was
made public without comment and the
fact that the president had suggest
ed to the Interested nations joint
discussion of Far Eastern and Pacific
problems came as something of sur
prise in Washington. The departments
statement did not make clear what
nations had been approached on these
subjects but aside from China which
was specifically named, it was as
sumed that Great Britain and Japan
were among them.
Renewal Of the AngIo-Japanese al
lance is a subject before the British
whether this is considered by Mr..
Harding as within the scope of the pro-
posed conference on Pacific and Far
Eastern problems has not been dis
closed. Mr.. Lloyd George, the British
premier. announced recently in the
house of commons that he expected to
have some statement to make with re-
gard to the alliance tomorrow but that
this was dependent upon 'the replies
received from the United States, Japan
and China"
----- Mr.. Harding's move with regard
to limitation OF armament was de-
scribed by some of his advisers as the
second step in the working out of his
international program, adoption of the
peace resolution having been the first.
Before that resolution was put through
congress-, he sent out informal feelers !
on the subject of disarmament. He
now has gone a step forward in the
development of this program.
Proposals for a conference on world |
disarmament were made in congress
Scme months ago and a resolution by
Senator Borah, republican, Idaho, ask
ing the president to invite Great Brit
ain and Japan to confer with the
United States on the question of linn
ting naval construction has been
made part OF the naval appropriation
bin, and accepted both by the senate
and house.
The president however, apparently
has gone much further than the sug-
gesAion in the Borah resolution. His
inquiries have been addressed 10
France and Italy as well and there
Is nothing in the state department an
nouncement tonight to suggest that
the limitation of armaments be con-
fined solely to naval construction.
When the disarmament question was
So LcOntinilad on PAGE Sikh