The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-08-18
ARMS PARLEY
BODY MAY Be
SLIDING PANEL
Suggestion Would Provide
Experts for Each Phase
Considered = M m b er S
Would Alternate.
LEAGUE FIGHT ECHOES
BY MARK SULLIVAN

Speculation about the remaining prob
able selections for American repre-
sentatives to the disarmament confer
ence has come to seethe in Washing
ton like guesses about probable cab
met appointments. 1t is reflection
of the sense of the importance of the
conference which increases here ever.
day.
With Secretary Hughes and Senator
Lodge already chosen, the burden OF
the most dependable guessing centres
on Senator Knox of Pennsylvania and
Senator Underwood of Alabama, for
the fifth place.
II FIVE should be the number ulti-
mately decided on, speculation is d.
vided between ex-senator George
Sutherland Of Utah and Elihu Root,
with the prevailing opinion slightly
favoring the former.
There has been a suggestion that
both the number of delegates and the
persons to be chosen may be affected
by the possibility of making the dele
CATION a sliding panel.
Members Alternate
which two or three sit permanently
but which, as to the remaining seats,
are filled by different persons from
time to time, depending upon what
questions come up.
The institution of sliding panel
was followed by some of the nations
at the Paris conference. 1t has the
advantage of being able to command
he oh h.
ject as it comes up.
For example, when a military ques-
tion comes up, military man sits in
the delegation. When a naval matter
comes up, the military man leaves for
the moment and a naval man would
take his place.
Whether anything will come of this
suggestion of a sliding panel is prob
ably wholly in the hands of Secretary
Hughes. whom President Harding has
formally turned over all such details
of the method of conducting the con-
ference.
Knox Believed Sure Prospect
In any event, the selection of Sen
ator Knox of Pennsylvania is be-
lieved to be very probable, if he cares
TO take ii. 1t is believed with alI/ost
equal proba ability, that in giving rep
resentation to the Democrats, Senator
Underwood of Alabama, will be the
appointee.
There are two Democratic senators
who are obvious suggestions, one be
ing Senator Underwood, as the floor
leader of the Democrats in the senate
and the other being Senator Hitchcock
Of Nebraska. as foreign affairs.
When the Democrats were in power
Senator Hitchcock was the chairman
of that committee, just as Senator
Lodge is chairman when the Repub
licans are in power.
Against Hitchcock Record.
AS between Senator Underwood and
Senator Hitchcock most of the consid
erations favor Senator Underwood. Fol
one thing, Senator Hitchock's leader
ship on the fight for the league of ma
tions in the senate puts him in a posi-
ton where his appointment to the new
conference might be regarded as botf
embarrassing to him and also les:
agreeable to the irreconcilable elemen
among the Republican senators.
Senator Underwood's support on thu
league of nations was the much more
formal perfunctory position of a MAJ
merely following his party's program
Another aspect of the manner of con
ducting the conference which receive.
increasing consideration is that of tn,
degree of openness attending the de
liberations.
Demand for Publicity
The expressions of American pub
lie opinion favorable TO session
which shall be as open as those o
the United States senate grow con
stantly stronger. On straight issu
between open sessions and closed ses
sions, no one doubts how overwhelm
ingly American public opinion woult
express itself in favor of open seS
sions
This demand will be the stronge
in so far as the bulk of the American
delegation, and the foreign delegs
tions as well. may turn out to be me
who, however high their qualitie:
have not happened to become fixed i
the public mind as believing strongl
in both the desirability and the prat
ticability of disarmament
Would Restrict Conference Scope
In this conference the psychology,
al element, that may be called th
wish to succeed. will be more impor
ant than in ordinary conferences.
On another aspect of the conferenc
suggestions recently made in the
recuon Of extending the scope of
are obviously not we'll received b
the administration.
A suggestion that there should
concurrent conference of banker
and economists to consider means
stabilizing interna tional exchange ha
been more or less officially frowne
upon.
Copyright, 1921. by the New Yor
Evening Post, lnc.)