Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-11-19

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aAyaDAY EVENING, EoyEAsER IL, 1874
EVENTS OF A WEEK
The armament conference at Washington. the
opening incidents Of whseh startled the world. is IN
fnl1 swing, and while there has been no dinninution
Of interest 10 its proceedings, both the conference
and the public have settled down to the more pro-
sale routine OF orderly consideration of the propos-
ais which have been made or are IN prospect The
outstanding feature at the beginning was. on course,
the very sweeping and specific proposals made on
behalf Of the American government for the scrap
ping within three months after the adoption Of the
plan Of approximately half the capital ships of the
leading three nayies of the world, and the prompt
acceptance IN principle of that proposal by the
TWO other nations Immediately affected. Great Br-
tain and Japan.
Immediately following this came the ,ntrodue-
tion OF the Far Eastern question, admittedly more
difficult and more complicated than the balancing
Of naval powers. The keynote OF the discussion of
this phase was struck by the Chinese delegation.
which presented its views as to the procedure to be
observed with reference to China. Briefly stated
the delegation claims for China guarantees of her
territorial integrity and political and adrninistra-
tive independence. the abolition of spheres of IN
AaeDce,' agreement that China shall be consulted
before treaties are made affecting her interests, and
the open door in China 10 all nations on an equal
basis.
This program. directly or by implication, in
wolves practically everything that is at issue in the
Far East. 1t touches questions Of trade in which,
al! the nations seated at the conference are inter
ested. 1t includes the subject OF jurisdiction over
Shantung and other portions on China now CON
trolled by foreign powers. 1t touches on the ques-
Z ton OF japanese expansion into the Asiatic CONT
nent. 1t brings up the question OF whether or not
there is in China a government able to carry out
any pledges of impartial administration which it
may make, and it must have a profound influence
On the security, and therefore on the naval and mill
tary policy OF every nation whose flag floats any
where from the Red sea to the waters of the Pa
eifc.
No formal attention has yet been given to the
problem OF military armament, and there is no in
dication that much is expected in this direction.
The standing army Of the United States. with its
total personnel OF 10000, is admittedly SO small
that it need not be taken into account in any pro
gram Of reduction. The British army, at present
four times the size of ours, is so widely distributed
that it is practically in the same class. The French
army Of some 100000 is a burden to France, and is
regarded by many as q potential menace to world
peace. But the situation OF France is so peculiar
and her experience with her n~eighbors has been
such that no Frenchman Of standing will consider
for A moment any material reduction OF the army
unless there are substituted for the army interna.
tional guarantees equally effective. Those guaran-
tees are not likely to be given. France insists On
& SifS PiotUItSi dS0Hbot n ClIi u z IdkH
experiences. With the best reason in the world
she distrusts Germany and places no faith in Ger.
mar promises, If other nations will not, or cannot
give her the security which she regards as vital, she
will provide that security for herself in the only
way possible, namely, by the maintenance of an
army large enough to cope with any menace from
Germany before it assumed gigantic proportions
That is the French position. What man is there
who, were he a Frenchnlan, would take any other
The Irish situation seems to have reached IN.
other OF its familiar "stone wal" stages, thr wall in
this instance being represented by Ulster. For a
week or more negotiations with Ulster have been
~ progress, and a proposal has been made ny the
British government and rejected by the Ulster car
met, While its exact terms have not been made
pubic it is understood that this proposal is in sub
stance that Ulster shalt unite with southern ireland
~ a dominion form OF government, with its seat at
Dublin, provision being made for III: retention ny
Ulster Of a provincial parliament which shalt adj
minister its local affairs. The plan. it is Under
stood. provides for adequate guarantees for the r1o.
pie Of Ulster in their economic. religious and edpca-
tionai rights.
On its face the situation seems hopeless. Yet
il Is TO be remembered that IN connection with the
irish question several apparently hopeless situa-
tons have yielded to patient treatment. Not many
I weeks ago the Sim FeineSs were firm in their stand
for nothing short OF complete separation from the
empire. They have become flexible on that point.
Did'cult'es ~ e the terms on which q conference
should be held have been overcome. Southern Ire
land stands ready today 10 remain an integral part
of the empire, with the status Of a dominion suci,
~ Canada Or Australia, with the notifications rem
dered necessary BY her geographical position. She
lis willing to accept this status provided all ireland
is included. and apparently she is willing to sub
scribe 10 the conditions relating TO the local indie
pendence OF Ulster which has been presented BY
Premier LLOYD George. When 80 much has been
accomplished IL is not unreasonable to hope that the
officially now presented in Ulster may be over
come.
tetinicaily III II has been over in effect for 4 long