Evening star., 1921-11-11
SHORT CONFERENCE,
ISDELEGATES VIEW
Bent Upon Bringing Arms
Discussion to Speedy
Close.

the belief is strongly developed
among the delegates of the nations
involved that the parley is not to be
long drawn out.
It has been manifested by the ar
riving delegations. as well as by the
American delegation, that the con-
ferees are bent upon bringing their
discussions to q successful close as
speedily az possible They are, pre-
pared to attend strictly to business.
once the conference gets under way.
Secretary of State Hughes. as pre-
siding officer, will take the lead In
known ability, and other conferees
are looking to him to set the pace, 1t
is known.
Talk of the conference lasting four,
five or even six months which has
been engaged in on this side OF the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans, is not re-
garded seriously by. the delekatishs
| from Europe and Is.-en.
success D~Sends on spsos-
In the first place, IL the c0nferenos
ment on the limitation OF armamers
| is to be achieved. as well as agrees
ments on far eastern questions. it -
believed that 1t will be possible -
reach comparatively speedy concsU.
snd NhS more a tafd widely b S.,issea That sns
first few weeks will tell the story q
success or failure in the conference
With the formal opening OF the con.
ference and lts getting down to work
it is expected that the United States
will come forward. as the moving
figure in bringing the conference to-
gether. with definite proposals, par
ticularly with regard to the iimitat:%-
! es armamcs. That the foreign ma
/ Tens have prepared programs of their
xayyf various
questions coming up for discussion is
now known. The utmost secrecy,
however. as to the details Of the pro-
posals Of the United States and coun-
| ter proposals that may be made by
other delegations has been main
| tained.
Balfour Ii ConAdent.
Arthur J. Balfour, head of the Bri-
I tish delegation. who arrived here yes
| terday, put himself on record within
a few hours after reaching washing
ton as being confident that the con-
ferees will not only be successful. but
that they will act quickly. The emf
nent Enslishman. who was a member
of the peace conference in Paris. re-
| called the fact that he had remained
in Paris for nine months during the
making Of the treaty of Versailles
during that period. He laughed. how
ever, at the idea of the present con-
| ference taking anything like that
time. or even half that time.
There has been some criticism OF
the length of the Paris peace confer
ence," said Mr.. Balfour, but 1t must
be remembered that in Paris we had
practically to draw a new map or
Europe; the questions were far more
complex than those to come up for
consideration at the Washington con-
| ference.
| Il see no reason why we should not
finish this conference quickly, he
added. -...-
It was not the intention Of the head
of the British delegation to belittle by
any means the Importance of the
questions which are to come up for
| consideration, but to indicate that the
field is far more limited than II was
at the Paris conference. ana also to
| conferees have come here determined
to act speedily and in q business-like
manner.
The various delegations have all the
communications with their home gov
ernments. The Japanese situation
has been complicated by the assassi-
nation Of Premier Hara. but great
bs, rs. # by 1ns s.n
it Is formed, will not change the pol
icy Of the Hara government. and that
| the delegation now here will be un-
changed and continue its work along
the lines laid down before it left the
shores OF Japan. II is realized. how
| ever, that much will depend upon the
amount OF power which may be ac-
corded the so-called militarists in
Japan in the formation Of the new
! cabinet.
VIII Determine II open.
Tho conference itself will deter
mine soon, it is expected, to what ex-
tent its meeting shall be open to
the public. That the peoples of all
the nations involved are to be kept
in close touch with the developments
and the proposals Of the various pow
ers is now indicated. Secretary
Hughes. by announcing the American
program or proposal with regard to
| the limitation of armament as soon
as he has presented 1t to the confer
ter.
It is realised by the delegates to the
! conference that IL public opinion is to
be formed intelligeptly in All the ma
tions, and If they are to have the
for the successful elimination Of the
conference, the public must be kept
!intelligently informed.
1t is realized. however, that much
Of the work OF the conference must
be conducted Informally, and behind
closed doors. Even the most ardent
proponents Of publicity, like Senator
Borah OF idaho and Senator Johnson
of California and others admit this
What they desire is that the proposals
laid before the conference shall be
made public before being acted upon.
and that there be public discussion.
in the conference. before final action
is taken. .~
Secretary Hugh Is. in Announcing
yesterday, the program for the i'm
mediate opening OF the conference.
spoke particularly Of the appoint
ments Of two committees on program,
one to handle the Limitation OF ar1na-
ment program and the other the pro-
| gram dealing with the far eastern
questions, which are to be made to-
/ morrow.
vkm Adjourn Over Monaay.
The conference is to adjourn over
Monday, for the especial reason that
| the program committees may have an
opportunity to work on their pro-
grams for PRESENTATION to the con-
ference. possibly in part on Tuesday.
The announcement OF Mr.. Hughes is
| indicative that it 10 the desire to get
| to business as quickly as may be.
It has again been made clear that
| the consideration OF the limitation of
Armament and OF far eastern cues
tions ID to proceed. practically side
by side. and that the conference, in
no sense, IL to be conbidereA i dual
conferenoA