The Washington times., 1921-12-09
AMERICAN Plans
IN ARMS FARLEY
kept CONCEALED
Correspondents Find lamen-
table Lack Of Information
on Purpose Of U. s.
BY POLITICUS.

vi utPOS0 VI W -
by POLITICUS.
The advisory committee of the
American delegation to the arms con.
ference has set up elaborate ma.
chinery to obtain the public opinion
Of the United States on the progress
of the arms conference. 1t Is q laud-
able undertaking. By all means, let
US know what the people think. In
these days of popular government. 1t
Ia only proper that the voice Of the
American people should be heard In
the grave deliberations in which their
future Ia at stake.
But have the learned advisors of the
American delegation stopped to con-
slider the materials out of which Amer
lean public opinion is being made?
1t is all very well to say: What do
the people think Of the American plan
TO prevent war in the Far East" But
OF what value Ii that American opin
ion If the people do not know what
the American plans are? There has
been much pointing out Of high ideals
and noble purposes. President Hard
ing and Secretary Hughes have des-
canted at length on the glorious
aspects of eternal peace. Eloquent
appeals have been made by thousands
Df orators and writer's, In millions of
words, to the aspirations Of the Amer
tcan people for a brotherhood Of the
world.
Silent Upon Plans.
Yet neither President Harding nor
secretary Hughes nor the other men,
bers of the American delegation, nor
inyone entitled to speak for them, has
attempted to tell the American people
hnWy fhov ~ IN oh
Jet or to disclose to them the methods
CT the program by which 1t is to be
!ittained.
The American people know that the
results OF the conference will have to
lie embodied In some kind Of interri-
tional agreement, but the American
delegation will not even say whether
1t Is to be a treaty. a convention, a
'gentlemens understanding" triple
entente, or a quadruple alliance, or
what other term of international al.
plomacy will cloak the commitments
the United States will be asked to
make. As to the commitments them.
selves. Secretary Hughes and all that
deep and cold as that Of an Arctic
night.
Nevertheless, American public
opinion is being nodded daily upon the
Arms Conference. By what? Chiefly
and foremost by British inspiration
1t has been one of the amazing
phenomena Of the conference. In ali
the reams that are written of its
duties, Of it's plans. Of It's secret ana
open sessions, Of its high ideals and
base intrigues, the chief supply Of
materials and suggestions has come
from British sources. II Is not fair
o.. AXTnA
vantage Of this opportunity. They
are asleep; they are wise, and we pre-
tend that silence is wisdom. They
feel bound by no convention and are
worried by no ethics; we lose sleepless
nights In fear that we might be
accused Of attempting to influence the
progress of the conference by present
ing to the world the American view
point.
Controversy Going On.
For more than three weeks a con-
troversy has been going on in the ex-
pert committee sessions over the
submarine question. The United
States wants a capable fleet Of sub
marines to protect It's extended coas.
line and it's outlying possessions.
Great Britain IL afraid Of this weapon
and demands its abolition. The
reasons that animate the American
view have been kept concealed as
though they were something OF which
We ought to be ashamed. The British
viewpoint has been blazoned forth
from day to day by all Its official and
unofficial mouthpieces. until Amer
lean public opinion has found itself
overwhelmed by the British publicity.
The same Is true OF the proposed
four-power understanding" concern
ing the Far East. From American
sources there has been nothing but n
refusal to discuss the conversations
that have taken place. From brftish
sources there has been HOOD OF su9-
gestions, ideas, rumors, ana more or
less authorative details. IL Ii prop
lem OF the first importance 10 inc
american NATION. Ineretore tne
American newspapers nave devoteo
columns OF space 10 us discussion:
The tnreo nun0re0 correspondents Oh