The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-21
ANGLO-JAP PACT
 ID BE OF NATURE
 PLEASING ID U. s.
Great Britain Ready to Dis cuss Armament Limitation With America, Declares
 Lloyd George
By Associated Press


 London, June 20.--The British prime minister in opening the i'm perial conference, attended by the premiers of the overseas dominions. today referred to Anglo Japanese re- lations in terms generally regarded in American circles here as assur- ance to the United States that any renewal of the agreement with the Japanese government would neces- sarily be of nature unobjectionable to America.
 While Mir. Lloyd George avoided a declaration on the direct issue of the treaty, he alluded to the wartime friendship with Japan and said that Great Britian was anxious to apply this friendship to a solution of tho questions connected with the Pacif- tc ocean and the far east, among them the future of China.
 Great Britian desired to avoid com petition in armaments in the Pacific. emphasized the willingness of the government to discuss armaments with the United States. He pointed out that the life of the United King dom as also Australia and New Zea- land was built upon seapower-the basis for the whole empires exist ence.
 Ready to Talk Disarmament
 Discussing the relations between Great Britian and the United States the prime minister said: Friendly cooperation with the United States Is for us a cardinal principle dictated by what seems to us the proper ma ture of things, by instinct quite as much as by reason and common sense.
 We are ready to discuss with American statesmen any proposal for the limitation Of armaments which they wish to set forth, and we can state that no such overtures will find lack of willingness on our part to meet them"
 The first session of the conference was without cerimony the represen- tatives of the United Kingdom, the dominions and India assembling at the residence of the premier, who spoke for an hour Mir. Lloyd George welcomed the visiting premiers and other delegates who. he said, met as equal partners in the dignities and responsibilities of the British com monwealth."
 The prime minister summarized post war conditions and said that German disarmament was virtually accomplished and the separations problem was in a fair way of being solved"
 The problems of Silesia and the near east remained; their solution lay in adherence to the treaties and he was hopeful with regard to both.
 There is prevalent a widening and deepening conviction" he added, that the world must have peace If it IS ever to recover it's health"
 MT. Lloyd George paid tribute to the loyalty of the dominions during the war. He referred in glowing terms to the gallant achievements of I8dia and cited these as proof of the solidarity of the empire which he declared lis based not only on force, but on good will and common understanding"
 After the premier's speech the con ference adjourned until II o'clock to- morrow when the premiers of the overseas dominions and the represen- tatives of India will make their open ing statements. It is understood that If the Anglo-Japanese agreement is renewed Premier Hughes Of Austra- lia plans to return to his own coun- try by way of the United States, where he will make a series of speeches.