Evening star., 1921-11-14
US. B|GGESTL0
OPINION IN LONDON
With Japan, It Would Share
Heaviest Sacrifices Under
Hughes Plan.
By the Associated Press,

siN5slVo iSIts
By the Associated Press.
LONDON. November 1.-THE Amer
ican proposals for drastic limita-
tion Of naval armament have been
received with expressions of much IA
vor In British official circles. While
the cabinet will not officially discuss
the proposals until the British experts
have reported after examining them, II
Is stated that the Individual members
of the cabinet whole-heartedly support
address Of Secretary Of State Hughes
at the opening Of the conference Ii
Washington Saturday.
The opinion IN generally expressed
that such a plain statement OF policy
made at the outset Of the conference
ment Of definite, au-round reduction
In arinaments. 1t 10 recognized tha,
many points tn the proposals must &C.
casiOn discussion. and the Brttih navAl
experts are already examining the prop
osition.
The cabinet viii consider the subject
as soon al the experts make their re-
port. Ratification Of any decision
reached will be asked Of the pariia-
ment. which was prorogued last week
until January 30. subject to an earlier
summoning II political exigencies should
demand 1t.
The American plan for a ten-yeaI
naval holiday and the scrapping Of al
but limited number Of warships calls
for much less sacrifice on the part OF
Great Britain than by the United
States and Japan, in the view OF the
naval correspondent of the Daily
Mail.
The proposed sacrifice. he says
would be q heavy one for Japan and
the United States. but comparatively
trif1ing for Great Britain. as the
latter has not yet incurred any great
dered The American scheme
involves no injury to british interests
for in plain fact the British navy to:
day is third in postwar ships and
ocean-going submarines. the two factors
which will probably count for the
The real question 10 whether Japan
will be content to accept conditions
which place her navy in . position OF
permanent inferiortty."
Already ScraDping Ships.
Other correspondents peint out that
Gr eat Britain has already taken the
lead In the reduction Of naval aFma.
msnts her sstsppsS IN o,
than 500 vessels, Of which 800 were
destroyers. Statistics are printed te
show that neither Japan nor the
United States has gone very Tar In
this direction.
Most OF the naval writer's are obvi-
ously taking time to digest the pro-
posals outlined by Secretary Hughes
and thus far little expert opinion. al
distinct from editorial views. has beer
published here.
All other news - saboTdinated u
the Washington dispatches In thii
mornings newspapers. The drastic
proposals. for naval Limitation nat.
urally hold frat place, but tht
speeches Of President Harding ane
Mr.. Hughes are also fully reported
while other dispatches describe th<
effect produced in America and tbs
attitude Of the various delegates to.
ward the American proposals.
seofRs ut Pronouneement.
The Herald, the labor organ. scott.
ut President HardiAgs pronounce.
ment on peace. which it says recallt
President Wilson.
The newspapers say that it thu
causes Of friction between the ma
tions are removed and the great pow
ers cease seeking new concessions il
will happen automatically. but tina
all talk about disarmament is i'm
pudent and dangerous until thos'
things are done. O.
The Daily Chronicle, reIna,4sing tina
Secretary Hughes has added . ridei
to the usual concept that policy govern:
ornaments, namely. that armament:
also affect policy. contends that unit
the political fires are extinguished M
reduction in armaments. however in.
&c nuous and sincere. can hope to en-
dure.
Plan Mnst Ne Weighed.
The Times treats the proposal with
sympathetic admiration. but emphasises
that It viii have to be carefully con
'.By the very boldRess with which 1
has thrown aside the traditions Of old
fashioned diplomacy" says the Times
"if Immediately captured the tmagina
ton Of the people Of the United States
We believe that in many respects +
peoples OF Europe.
"iIike ali schemes for carrying ou
large policies. the plan demands naturs
examination by the governments Of tn
ma tions whose security and interests i
deeply concerns. It demands very heav!
ga cridees from all. brt all will cheer
fully submit thereto il submission PLATA
ly promotes the end in view"
Puts Life In C0nferenee.
The Morning Post says: I'VE woult
say at once that acceptance by Eng
land of such a propoezl must in al
good faith depend upon the measure o
Conferences. We cannot doubt tina
America perfectly appreciates tht
UNIQUE geographical position and eco
nomic requirements Of the British em
pire, which involve the necessity 9
securing very long ltnes e. Of cona;.M eomM1ni y
possessing mere fighting deet."
The Daily Express Says: "A valiant
IL STAGGERING, proposal-at makes Wash
ington worth while and the conference
alive: it brings an ideal to the veSss
of practical politics. =. .r =
pitfalls, but bold policy is the onl!
one that can possibly bring results
We may see the failure OF a xrandios!
conception, but Mr.. Hughes has stFnca
q high note. Who shall say that 1
cannot be sustained?
Held Magnificent IDEAL
1T may conceiyahly be found tha
the scheme is overboid," says the Dali!
magnificent ideal that it viii awakei
greater enthusiasts among those whi
passionate1y long for the world t.
get its feet we'll set upoa the tru,
path ef peace.
.'The conference opened with Z no
BILE and dramatic stroke Oh the par
Of President Harding and secretar.
Hughes It Is net the habit Of Amer
| ica to do thfags by halves. and Of
this occasion the United States ha
astenished and impressed the WORK
by her audacity and by the gran.
sweep Of her proposals."
The Daily News says that . dc
spairing world has been shown tn
way Of salvation.