The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-09-27
SEE DAMPER
IN ABSENCE
OF PREMIER
Refusal of Lloyd George to
Enter Disarmament Confer
ence Discouraging Sign
May End in Bargaining.
FEAR FRENCH DEMANDS
BY MARK sullivan

WASHINGTON, Sept 27-Some of
us who watch the approach of the
coming armament conference in Wash
ington wholly from the outside, and
who observe not only what hoppens
in America, but also what is going on
among the other governments con-
eerned. think we observe just now a
new spirit in various ways, is hope
fully promising at the beginning.
Whatever the reasons that caused
Lloyd Georges more recent attitude
of reluctance TO come cannot help but
rob the situa ton of some of the ele-
walton it had when his own attitude
ard that of Great Britain seemed to
favor his coming. The difference be-
tween the presence and the absence
Of man OF Mr.. Lloyd Georges dis
tinction is definite quantity sub
stracted from the conference.
Will Delay Progress
This aspect is more important than
the mere fact that the smoothness
and speed of the conference will be i'm
peded by dealing, not with principals
who can speak with authority, but
with agents who can only discuss and
must refer things back to London.
Further than this, we hear that the
spirit of the British government is
little stale" on the conference.
II is not looked forward to with
the same spontaneous and hopeful
spirit that existed when conferences
were first proposed, a time when the
colonial premiers were present in Lon
don, and colored the British point of
view with their fortnight enthusiasm
for the purpose of the conference.
Europe Out of Patience
OF course, if British and other Eu-
ropean statesmen are tempted to be
little outdone with Americas meth
DDS of conducting international rela-
tions they are hardly 10 be blamed
They are fresh from seeing, at the
Paris Peace conference, the spectacle
of an American president using the
power he had. just because he was
president of the United States, to
force a union of the peace treaty and
the League of Nations against the
judgment and wish of all the Euro
pean powers, and then seeing that
union torn to pieces, and everything
left in chaos by the action of the
American senate.
II is not to be wondered at IL the
statesmen who have been through al
that approach a new conference with
less confident enthusiasm for further
negotiations with America. AS tc
Premier BRAND of France, we heal
that he sticks to his decision to come
but that a considerable section ot
French opinion has begun to oppose
his coming
France Wants understanding
Also there are fears that if ht
comes he will come with what amount:
TO an ultimatum, namely, that France
will help TO reduce armaments only
on condition that America makes {
promise to help France when she il
attacked.
The whole spirit Of the conference
2s far as some foreign countries are
concerned, seems to move in the di
rection of mere bargaining, of givins
up things only in exchange for othe
things Most discouraging of all. w
hear that some governments hav,
come 70 believe that America will dis
arm anyhow, that the sentiment o
America in favor of less armamen
and less taxation. will compel our gov
ernment to reduce and that other gov
ernments by waiting can get the ad
vantage VI Ituuteu dEIndmPlIS on Ou
part without the necessity of thei
making any agreements.
All these things that tend toward
discoura cement may merely be tn
depression that happens some time Il
the course of preparation for ever,
such venture The thing for Americ
to do is to maintain a spirit of deter
mination to make the conferenc
succeed.
Probably the best hope lies in cor
fdence in President Harding-conf
dence that his spirit of good will an
mutual tolerance will prevail. and tina
he will be as successful on this occa
sion in getting men and nations t
march in step as he has been on sel
eral other occasions
Copyright 1921, by the New Yor
Evening Post, Incl
nuADnr n0NCnlDEnV