Evening star., 1921-07-28

a city in the United States other
than Washington, was virtually
a certainty, although it was ad-
mitted that the attitude of WASH
ington on such an arrangement
was as yet unknown in London.
BY DAVID LAwRENCE.
The United States government is
proceeding on the assumption thar
all the powers, including Japan, VIII
approach the subject of a program
for the disarma ment conference with
a desire to get results End not TO use
the meeting as d vehicle for an in
terminabl discussion of International
problems.
Japans acceptance Of Americas 8
invita- ion creates in Washington
most favorable efIevt. 1t is true
there are some phr. scs in the Jap
anese reply which appear to be n
qualification. but the important fact
to bear i'm mind is that Secretary
Hughes doesn I regard ii quail
fed acceptance. " hen Japan said
profile ms should he omitted from TIL"
discussion which are of sole conceln
to ce~taIn particular powers anu
that matters be excluded which may
he regarded as accomplished facts
it was possible to cons:rue her'wordS
as a sort of warning against too much
optimism concerning her attitude but
Mr.. Hug gheS. who is d distinguished
lawyer. doesn't have that impression
and looks upon the j. panese state
ment legal ''caVeat. something
which the United States or any other
power would feel free to express
before entering any conference
Japanese Are Cautious.
The Japanese are cautious and do
not want 10 seem to be agreeing to
reopening OF all tar eastern ques-
tions. 1t is an important thing that
they agree to discuss far eastern
questions az all. for the Japanese
have always shown A reluctance to
throw all their problems into the
hopper for a discussion by outsld-
powers. If America We're asked to
submit to any questions affecting
Central or South America there
would surely be opposition. When
the Monroe doctrine was mentioned
in connection with the league of NJ
tionS. American senators insisted
that not only must tie doctrine be
omitted from the scope OF the cove
nant. but no question must ever be
permitted to come before the league
affecting the doctrin. in an? way.
In view of this history. the official
feeling here is one of gratitude 10
Japan for taking so broad view
of the problems of the world and be-
ing willing. in the first place, to DIS
cuss far eastern questions in spe-
cial international conference, ana,
secondly. placing only slight hm'-
tatiou on tie character of the sub
jectS to be discussed.
United states May Follow View.
The phras" problems of sole con-
Germ to certain powers is conSlfutu
f.4al
wise to urge the omission OF the I'M
migration question if it comes up. tor
she b ltcves she can adjust IL much
mor. easily by direct negotiation De-
tween herself and tlre~ powers con-
cerned than through general par
ley The United States government
might be d sposed to take similar
! view.
| OF course. if Japan insisted THAI the
| Van question was an "aCcompiIshe1
! fact" the United States would point
| out that France and Italy have con-
! CURED in the American viewpoint.
namely. that the zap mandate was
! not legally bestowed on Japan ana
should be reconsidere4 Ii a discus
sion should e.. sue as to whether zap
! should be included in the program OF
! thr conference, II might easll! nap
pen that the program Would not pe
/ fully decided upon until the confer
/
the same result would be achieved
! when the delegates reached here For
! in irving to determine whether the
] Van question should be regarded as
an accomplished fact the .nerits OF
| the whole question would have to De
| discussed anew.
So the Japanese qualifications at
/ this time cannot be considered as
! raising any more of an obstacle TO
| future agreement than would natural
! ly be the case when the japanese
viewpoint was discussed at the con-
ference itself. II is not expected that
| harmonious agreement VIII be acnIeV-
ed at once, but only after a full and
! frank Interchange of views between
| the delegates.
| Victory for Mr.. Hughes.
Secretary Hughes will cross that
bridge when he comes to it. For the.
present il is vital that all the powers
/ have agreed to enter the confer e.
and whether they are able to agree
upon tn "agenda'' or program by
! cable in advance of the conference or
whether they will find it necessary to
finish preparing the asenda when the
delegates actually get here is only
of secondary Importance.
/ Those who are familiar with the
long discussions that usually precede
the calling of international confer
ences will bear testimony to the fact
F! that the disarmament conference has
been arranged in remarkably short
/ time and that Secretary Hughes has
won a big victory by skillfully in
, sisting upon acceptance of the invi-
tation on the basis of the two main
! principles-the Limitation of arma-
n.ents and the discussion of Pacific
and far eastern questions"
Copyright, 1921,