The Washington herald., 1921-11-21
Sees Cut i'm Navies and
Set of Principles in
Far East.
ANGLO-JAPANESE
PACT w ILL END
Hughes Can Claim Vic
tory, But Britain Also
Gains Laurels.
By FRANK H. SIMONDS.

The conference of Washington is
practically over. All that remains
To be done is minor and. despite
present superficial quarrels and bick-
erings. the results could be written
today. These results will be:
I. The limitation of naval con-
structinn. plus measurably scrap
ping the existing units.
=. The postponement and not i'm
possibly the prevention of an Amer
ican-Japanese war.
J. The acceptance on the part or
principles in the Far East without
any form of guarantees for their
application.
3. In some way not yet quite
Japanese alliance.
Give. up Naval Ambition.
The price Of the first achievement
IS the surrender by the United
States of the power placed in its
hands by the last war to become
the supreme naval country of the
world.
The price OF the second result
will be the recognition of the spe
rial rights and interests of Japan
in all of the Far East, but particu-
larly in MsnChuria. such recogni-
tion duly testified to by the sur
rende ron the part of Great Britain
ard of the United States of that
naval power which would permit
successful challenge.
The price which the United States
will receive in return for the ac-
Ccptance Of the third point will be
Japanese agreement to retire
from Shantung and from siberia.
Won't Press Far Eastern Issue.
The disappearance of the Anglo
japanese alliance will be the com
persation that Mr.. Hughes will re-
ccive for not pressing the Far East
ern question as it had been ex-
pressed il would be pressed in the
beginning.
These results will be regarded in
the United States as great victory
for Mr.. Hughes and for American
diplomacy.
on the continent of Europe the
Washington conference has already
been hailed as a victory for British
diplomacy even more complete and
far-reaching than that of the Paris
conference.
In Great Britain there will be a
tendency to depreciate British
achievement and regret that no
greater curb has been placed on
Japan, no serious effort to reduce
French arms, and finally no closer
association between the United
States and Great Britain actually
arranged.
Escapes Naval Competition.
Nevertheless. the British people
will rejoice in the escape from a
naval competition with the United
States. (which they could not afford
or from a voluntary surrender OF
sea supremacy to which they could
not reconcile themselves.
Not improbably the Washington
conference will be instantly at
tackled by many so-called liberals
the world over as offering no relief
for existing Affections of the world
and representing no forward step
toward international association OF
toward the league of nations.
on the other hand there will be a
general disposition in this country
and in England to accept Mr
Hughes estimate and regard the
washington conference as a first
step in the direction of international
understanding.
Ends Anglo-Freneh Ties.
Mr.. Hughes conception that the
way to begin was to begin, and
that the Limitation of naval arma-
ments was the one specific and def
mite thing which could be done has
Prevailed, has made the conference
what il has been, and the ultimate
success or failure will depend on
whether, as Mr.. Hughes believes,
the present session proves a begin
ming or an isolated incident.
zone further consequence of the
Washington conference is likely to
be the final dissolution of Anglo
French ties. The bitterness here
between the two nations has been
more acute than is generally known.
NJ BRAND and Mr.. Balfour. for ex-
ample, have never called upon each
other or met except in the accident
of the conference or of social occa-
sions French support of the Amer
lean thesis in the matter of subma-
rines has reused a British resent
ment which Is likely to disclose it.
70 afr