The daily times., 1921-09-22
WORD OF CAUTION
This Government Would Avoid
Amy Feverish Expectation
Concerning the Success or
Failure of the Conference
For the Life of the Country
Does Not Depend on Meet.
(By David Lawrence).
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily


Times)
Washington, Sept. 21.-The Uni
ted States government is anxious to |
avoid the creation of an atmosphere |
of feverish exception concerning the |
success or failure of the forthcoming |
conference on the limitation of arm
aments and Far Eastern questions.
Cautionary word was passed out |
from government sources today in |
the hope of offsetting any impression |
that the success of the conference is |
absolutely essential to the future |
well-being of the United States.
Our government will get along no
matter what the outcome of the |
conference" was the way it was ex-
pressed. I'VE are simply laying all
cards on the table in simple and
straightforward way. We want to
avoid spectacular effects. The devel-
opment of anything like super
interest would be a mistake for we
can continue to function with or
WITHOUT conferences.
The significance of this utterance
is simply that so many people are be-
ginning to speculate as to what will
happen in the world if the conference
should fail to agree. Would it mean
race for armament supremacy? Al
so, it has been suggested that if some
of the powers get the idea that the
United States cannot afford to have
+, the conference break up without
;achieving results, America would be
| in an impossible position at the con-
! ference table and might be in the
uncomfortable attitude of host who
could not differ with guests. No such
status is contemplated at this end.
When once the conference is con-
vened. it will get down to business
without any frills and without any
conscious delicacy as to the Ameri-
can position.
| Exchange of view between the
powers as to what subjects shall be
included in the program of the con-
ference have developed unanimity of
opinion already. The subjects are so
broad in scope and permit of the
widest latitude. 1t is not intended
that there shall be any special order
of consideration given to the topics.
Probably the entire program will be
gone over at the first conference and
committees appointed to thresh out
moot points on each topic SO that the
whole program will be lin the works"
at one time. Some impression has
been created that before armaments
would be discussed, there would be a
lengthy discussion of Far Eastern
questions and that it might be
months before the real purpose of
the conference Limitation of arm
! ament-would be achieved. That is
| not the basic idea of the American
delegation. 1t is hoped that the ex-
perts who know all subjects from a
technical angle will be put to work
at once and that the delegates will
meet with them. Whenever report
/
will be taken up. OF course, every
body realize that if friction is to con-
tinue in the Far East, the limitation
of ornaments will not be viewed as
practical by the nations concerned.
But instead of waiting for an agree
ment on Far Eastern questions, the
conference will approach the subject
of limiting ornaments on the theory
that before the conference is over an
agreement on controversial points
will have been reached. Thus the
world will have an opportunity to
know what could be accomplished in
the way of reduced expense for arm
ament and this information may per-
form the service of leverage in COM
pelling reluctant elements in the con-
Continued on page 81