The spectator., 1921-08-19
FOREIGN DIPLOMATS EXPECT
 WASHINGTON CONFERENCE TO LAST FOR MONTHS.
RESIDENCES BEING LEASED
Belief Is That Many Nations ana Races Not Invited Will Have Repre- sentatives and Versailles Scenes Will Be Repeated.
By EDWARD B. CLARK.

lively ill anticipation ol the great li- ternational conference on dlsnrpa- ment and on questions concerning the Ear East which is to begin in this city probably about the l.me that snow begins to fall. Activities Of house rental agencies in Washington are disclosing today somethng or il- ternational importance. It Is sald that representatives of the allied na- tions are seeking leases to run eight months on residences in the capital.
 l have been told by man who lives where he learns things that the representatives in Washington of the governments which will be party to the disarmament conference, hrln- ly believe that the proceedings Will last from fall well into the next plans accordingly. Moreover, my in- formant says that the foreign repre- sentatives expect that the Washington conference will be in effect new Versailles conference, and that mat ters touching self-determination, ter
  er things necessarily must be taken up, for this belief is that some kind of association of nations Is to be born of the conference, and that such an association cannot be formed With out taking into consideration many things besides disarmament and the far eastern situation.
 May Repeat Versailles Scenes.
 When the conference was on at Yer sailles. representatives were there, not only of the nations of the earth, many of whom stood on the side lines. but of this faction and that faction of the different nations All the representa- tiyes of every big country and every little country had their national axes to put an edge on. They thought that they could put the edge on better by the use of an American grindstone thun in any kher way. Consequently. so l am told by man closely con nected with the proceedings. the Amer ican newspaper correspondents were made the marks of the propagandistS of nations, half nations. and countries that wanted to become nations. They were all looking to Mir. Wilson and to the American people for support, and they thought that the road to it lay along the public print routes, Ameri- can correspondents at the Versailles conference had time of il in ab at tempt to sift news and sound argu- l.,
 Washington in all probability will witness scenes in repetition of those which were presented at Versailles. The conference membership will be limited to certain great Aations. but outside the conference chamber will and halt-countries which lie along line much longer than that which runs erom Byzantium to Spain.
 Signs that there IS already full and lively expectation that the Wash ngton conference will develop into n gathering for the consideration of worldwide matters are manifest. Personally. 1 know of men who ex- pected to be in Europe or the Far Easr pursuing their ways of work for certain countries who have changed their minds and intentions. and who will remain here through the fall and winter, because they believe that Washington is the place where there will be Il reshapins of the policies, and therefore the deStlnieS, of many coun- tries of the world.
 Bonus Sill Dead for Present.
 So far as this session of con gress IS concerned, the veterans bonus bill seems to be done for. It may come up again at the next session, and il may never come up again No body knows. IL is fairly certain, how ever, that the organizations of veter- ans will do what they can to see to it that ultimately the legislation they seek for their comrades is enacted into law.
 Men have asked why the demand for the bonus? The whole thing can be reduced to simple terms by means of short story.
 Over in France two doughboys from the same town met One of them said to the other. "I just got n letter from home. Bill Smith didn't go into the service"
 The other doughboy said, No, Bin Smith didn't go Into the service. He's home, and he's got my job and got my girl"
 In this story Is to be found the of the whole bonus matter. If there hadn't been any Bill Smiths to wax fat in purse in the shipyards, and perchance to win the affections of the sweetheurts of the men absent in the trenches, there would not be any demand for the bonus today. or at least so runs the general belief of men who have studied the situation from the viewpoint of human nature.
 Admittedly the bonus would be a heavy burden on the taxpayers of