Evening star., 1921-10-01
Editorial Digest
The Program Of the Arms Con-
ference.

There is little adverse criticism edi-
torially Of Secretary Hughes proposed
program for the armament conference.
Press discussion is rather an endeavor
to interpret to newspaper readers the
plans Of the government as disclosed
by the agenda, to explain why the
problems Of armament reduction and
far eastern affairs are SO closely In
tertwined. and to show to what ex-
tent these plans can be made to serve
the purposes for which the conference
was called. A few papers express re-
gret that land armaments are subor-
dinated in the program. and others
feel that by the relative position Of
the discussion of armamen ents and OF
far eastern affairs Secretary Hughes Is
putting the cart before the horse. But
10 these objections most writers an
swer that since there Is nothing rigid
about the plans. the conference Is left
free to proceed In any manner which
may prove most effective.
An analysis of the agenda and an
estimate Of it's significance that ex-
presses pretty accurately the opinion
or most editors is found In the Topeka
capital (republican). which says:
The public in having before It this
outline Of the subjects Of the arma-
time clear idea of the breadth Of the
undertaking. which amounts to an at
tempt to solve the problems that re-
late to future conflicts among nations.
If the conference should be successful
in Its efforts to find a solution OF the
status of China and the far east. then
reduction of armament and real
movement toward disarmament will be
relatively easy. But failure to come
to basis of understanding on the
Pacific and tar east will only empha-
size the dangers of the present un-
stable status of that part Of the world
and the conflicting ambitions and in
terests relating to it, abolishment OF
armament rivalry will be highly i'm
probable and the conference will not
get far in its primary object OF re-
ducing armament outlays."
Because of the intimate relation be-
tween far eastern questions and the
reduction, the New York Tribune (re-
publican) maintains that the former
phase should be considered first"
since fn the present disturbed state
of affairs no nation is willing to dis
arm SO long as acute problems remain
unsolved," and the logical procedure is
ito deal with the causes Of war first"
International experts in Washing
ton. the Salt Lake Tribune (republi-
Can) informs us, "are becoming Of the
opinion that any decision respecting
the Limitation of ornaments that may
be reached will depend solely upon
the determination of far eastern prob
lems." and las the time for holding
the conference draws near" the Nash
vile Banner Gndependent) thinks "it
is becoming more and more apparent
that the main purpose is to clearly
define conditions in the far east and
hold Japan in due bounds" However.
this gentle insistence of Secretary
Hughes on ventilating the oriental
situation at the conference is causing
no little uneasiness in Toxic" and
will result, the Muskegon Chronicle
independently thinks, in Japan's ad-
vancing proposals for the extension
of the agenda to problems on the
American as well as on the oriental
ion. opening the race issue" for dis
cussion by the conference build be "a
perfectly logical thing"
In the matter of the consideration
of land armaments, the Buffalo Times
(democratic) expresses the hope that
ito the third rank in the ensemble of
discussion means nothing more than
the necessity which. when several
things are to be mentioned at the
same time. requires one of them to be
spoken of first" because. it holds,
the cost and menace of large stand
ing armies are every bit as pertinent
and necessary themes for conscien-
tious deliberation and for remedial
measures as are the cost and menace
of huge naval establishments" The
Detroit Free Press independently.
however. interprets the position Of
land armaments on the agenda as in
dicating that lit is accounted a mat
ter of relatively minor importance
and in it's opinion the settlement of
this question is not of primary impor-
tance to the adjustment Of the big
world relationships which the confer.
ence aims to bring about"
A conference which would settle all
the problems presented in Secretary
Hughes program would, indeed. the
Milwaukee Journal independent) re-
marks. create an unprecedented sit
uation of understanding among ma
tions." But. it points out the con-
ference was called because Of one
thing-the overwhelming demand Of
,the people that ornaments be re-
duced"-and 1T can accomplish that
purpose without solving all the COM
rlicated questions in the rest Of the
agenda."