The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-11-14
HUGHES THREW
 COLLEEN APPLE
 OF OPPORTUNITY
By JAMES W. GERARD.

 Written for the Int. News Service. Copyright 1921 by the International
 News Service.)
 WaShingon, Nov. 14-A composite portrait of the delegates to this con- ference would show the face of a man determined to accomplish. There was an atmosphere of action when the congress assembled and into that at mosphere Secretary Hughes imme- diately without preliminaries, threw the golden apple, not of discord, but of opportunity.
 No longer the Hughes of the pussy footing campaign of 1916; no longer the justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, professionally and dispassionately splitting legal hairs, he boldly proposed a practical pro- gram of naval disarmament.
 Britannia singhehanded is not to rule the waves, but there is no prob ability that Britons will become slaves if the trident, symbol of naval rule, is shared with America and Japan. Rather are Britons, if the present competition in war ship building con- by the chains of financial slavery bound, poor bankrupt tax payers, to the chariot of the God of War.
 Germany refused the offer of a and that refusel was perhaps the first nail in the coffin of German hopes of world rule, for it was plain notice to Britain that Germany con IemplaC6u G1Vary, certainty, WdE, per haps. It was a warning to Britain to keep her naval arm0r bright A warn ing that was not disregarded.
 If Great Britain agrees to the cut in naval armament proposed by us then 1t would seem that Japan must fall in line. to refuse would be as in the case of Germany. notice to all the world that the die had been cast the battIeflag of Japan would be car died to conquest or would go down in final defeat.
 The proposal of Secretary Hughes is bold, sudden and sweeping. It means a long conference if it is seri- ously considered by the assembled na- tions, because each nation will seek consent to the realization of Its as-
 pirations before 1t agrees.
 For ourselves we are satisfied with the world as it is- We want only peace, an opportunity to trade on an equal basis with all countries. But they have a right to social equality in the family of nations the same right to expand and to find place for their growing populations which ways claimed and exercised, and at the same time must be settled out right to exemption from peaceful penetration by any race which does
 From other nations will come other claims The French delegation, what ever their ostensible object, has real ly two aims:
 First, to obtain forgiveness of part of the financial debt which France owes us, and secondly, a promise that France shall be protect. ed for all time from the fear or another German invasion. Public opinion in America seems against them on both points.
 After all, the answer rests with Great Britain. What thinks the pow. erfu1 philosopher brain Of Arthur James Balfour. By blood a Cecil, of the family which has had hand in the ruling of England since the first great Cecil was minister to the virgin Queen Elizabeth; is Bal four farseeing enough to realize changed conditions and to consent in the cause of all humanity, as we'll as .Britain's financial interest, that Brittania shall resign the sceptre Of absolute sea rule which Drake and his brave sea rovers won for Eliza beth?
 Should Balfour and the British delegates refuse a reasonable limita- tion, thH race for naval supremacy will go on until universal financial ruin of all involve the world and destroy al that we of this generation know of law and order and civ1ltza-