The Owosso times., 1921-11-04
THE OWOSSO TIMES
OWOSSO. MICH. NOV. A, 1921

washington now DeglnS to sho"
marked signs of the big event 10
start on Nov. IL, when the representa-
tives of the big countries meet there
for the conference which we hope Will
result in cutting down armaments and
lessening the chances of war for the
future. With the German, Austrian
and Hungarian peace treaties out OF
the way and with active work In
progress toward the proclamation, and
appointment of ambassadors, and re-
suming of diplomatic relations, the
thoughts of the State Department can
be turned to the work OF the con-
ference with nothing else to worry
them.
1.-THE first to arrive in connection
with this conference arrived on sun
day, Oct. %, when the first OF the
Japanese delegation came from san
Francisco where they landed several
days before from their boat. In this
delegation were vice Admiral Kato and
General Tanaka and several aides who
will play an important part in the
conference. Prince Tokogawa, who
heads the Japanese delegation will ar
rive soon with Admiral Tomasaburo
Kato another delegate. The third big
delegate from japan is Baron Shide-
hara, who is already in Washington as
ambassador from his country.
"There are many people who feel
that this conference is foolish thing
because they think 1t will end the
same as the Paris peace conference and
the world club plan. This cannot
be, because President Harding has
made 1t plain, as far back as last
July when he sent out the first invita-
tion, that complete disarmament is i'm
possible and we can be sure that he
will do nothing and has nothing in
mind except action that is practical.
AS President Harding said in his in
vitation of Aug. Ii Productive
labor is staggering under an economic
burden too heavy to be borne unless
the present vast public expenditures
are greatly reduced 1t is idle to look
for stability or the assurance of social
justice, or the security of peace, while
wasteful and unproductive outlays de-
prive effort of its just reward and de-
feat the reasonable expectation of
progress
"The only way to even hope for halt
ing thes ever increasing costs for arm
ament is for the countries most largely
concerned to get together and find
some basis upon which to agree where
to stop building ships, guns, ETC.
when you see these men who are
already in Washington, such men as
Admiral Beatty of England, Gen.
Jacques of Belgium, Gen. Diaz Of Italy
and Marshall Foch of France, men
whose business is based upon war
when you see them here with an
- ~, hx-sx, hnt n
cutting down of arms and an agree
ment to help toward world peace, at
least to a certain degree, you feel that
the fellow who thinks this conference
a joke is a joke himself. In other
words President Harding has called
the nations together at the right time
to talk about the right subject. He
Is not assuming to tell them what to
do, for example, with regard to the
Pacific and Far East where the situ
alton is most grave between Japan and
China. He has asked them to come
and talk it all over as men, men repre-
senting their countries and as men
who, like himself, feel that war is
horrible and that any practical step
to help reduce its chances should be
taken at once.
feels very happy over the prospects.
Through her minister in Washington
she replied to the invitation, saying
among other things: This confer
ence at Washington, called by the
President of the United States for the
promotion of peace, cannot but con-
tribute in large measure to the ac-
complishment of results that will en-
able the people of the world to enjoy
prosperity and happiness and obtain
permanent release from the cdIdmities
Of aodr.' japan was just as strong in
her reply as were the other powers.
Another vital subject to be taken
up will be the control of new and
ghastly means of warfare. The world
will not soon forget that Germany was
the first to use poison gas and 1t
is to be part of the work of this con-
ference TO control the use Of this and
worse weapons