The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-10-08
America
Crah6ed
Action of Britain in Select
ing Dominion Represen-
tatives Meets With APP
proval.
ny DAVID LAw1HHc1-
copyright by The lutelliSsnesf.)

Washington, Oct. THE United
States government Is deeply Eratided
over tho decision OF tho Great Britain
to include representatives Of Canada.
New Zealand and Australia In the Brit
ish delegation TO the armament confer
ence next month.
Back OF this manifestation OF pleasure
10 an interesting inside story which IL
illustrates, first how easily misunder-
standings can arise between nations,
and, second. how frankness on tho part
OF our republic officials has checkmated
= possible false impression At the very
start.
Some how or another Premier Hughes
OF Australia has gotten the Idea that the
United States didn't want to see the
British dominions represented. He said
In his latest speech that America had
ISLAM the door" against Australian
representation. sitting Ave thousand
miles from Washington and London. 1t
was not unnatural that the Australians
should have nisconstrued what was 60
Ing on. Indeed. many newspapers In
Canada have given an impression Of
disappointment that the United States
was In some way responsible for block
ing Canadian representation. There was
q feeling that America might we'll have
issued a direct Invitation 10 Canada.
New Zealand and Australia because
their shores were washed ny tho Pacific
and they are a. much Interested In set
thing the problems OF the Pacific as are
the people OF the United States.
But America couldn't issue such IN
Invitation. To do 50 would b to offend
the British government at London which
has scrupulously insisted that the for
slgn affairs Of her domtnions be handled
through tbs London government and not
direct between Washington and Ottawa
or Washington and Melbourne. The
United States governments didn't feel
that Il would even be proper to say any
thing informally TO tho British govern
nent about the desire OF ~ 4No1o1
people to SEQ the British domini6ns rep
resented. II was considered tho hsishth
OF lndiscretion for our government to
tell Great Britain how she should choose
her deleyation. The status OF the do
mlnions were 70 far as the American
government was concerned that OF SOW
ereIEn states like New York or Ohio
Sut In international affairs the central
government alone could be dealt with.
Amsr1e. or.t1nsd.
Naturally. when tho British govern.
rnent OF ito own voliticn therefore
chooses n delegate each from Canada
New Zealand and Australia. the Wash
ington government is plainly pleased
and does not hesitate to show 1t. But
such speech as Premier Hughes has
made In Australia based upon his Belief
that the Gorninicns would have besn In
rited before except for Americas un-
willingness cannot be offset except by
n attainment Of the facts News dis
patches 10 Australia are probably rea-
gre. Also. there Is no telling what may
have been said In official cablegrams
between London and Melbourne. FS,r
indeed. there was Some rlsconception
In Britain about the size OF the various
delegations. Everybody recognized the
value Of small delsgations-it makes
conference work easier and more rapid
But at no time did tbs United States
sack to limit the sire OF any delegation
From tho frst II was made clear tina,
zach delegation would vote as q unit
anyway and that II did not make any
practical, difference whether a deleea.
ton had three or six or ten. so ths
United States Is sticking to tho original
numher--four-while Great Britain ha,
decided TO have slI. OF tho six. three
will Be representatives Of tho dorninions
America 10 happy over II and our gov.
- eminent knows that eventually when
the true story Is told In Australia there
will be an abandonment forthwith Of
any notion that the United State.
slammed the door" In fact. moro than
ono circumstance points to the fact that
tho United States has hoped from the
start that the British dominionS would
hs represented at tho forthcoming con
ference.