Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-11-14
WASHINGTON
DAY BY DAY
(From Our Special Correspondents

(FrOm Our Speclai CoIie'po''
Washington, Nov. 1.-the plan OF
Secretary of State Hughes foT haVai
disarmament made known to the 1or.
eign delegates at the vrst meeting OF
the conference on Saturday, TOOK
most of them off their feet. They were
NOT prepared for any such move on
the part of the United States and
thcv were at a loss to understand the
real significance of the situation thus
occasioned.
Both Japan and Great Britain will
hove IN do a lot of communicating
with their home governments before
their delegates represented at the
arms conference will be able to de-
clare their position on the plan sug-
pested BY the American Secretary Of
State.
The plan as proposed by Secretary
Hughs will eliminate all capital war
ship programs, actual and contem--
plated and further reduction of naval
armament through scrapping of older
ships. 1t would limit Americas
naval strength to eighteen capital
ships of 50O,G5O tons; Britains to
twenty-five capital ships of G04,450
tons and Japan's to ten capital ships
of 300, ZOO tons.
The agreement would run ten years
and affect only America, Japan and
Great Britain. When replacemens
begin, no warship of more than 35,-
900 tons could be built. Under the
limitation proposals, America would
scrap fifteen capital ships, thirteen
under construction and two just
launched costing 1882 100000 and
totaling $4,000 tons.
1t is an interesting piece of infor-
nation that comes to Washington wa
Berlin to the affect that Karl Won
Bergmann, former under secretary of
finance, now at the National Capital,
is to be the new Ambassador from
Germany to the United States. 1t is
said that Won Bergman will assume
his new duties just as soon as Presi-
dent Harding issues the formal pro-
clamaton declaring the resumption
of diplomatic relations beween this
government and Germany. This pro-
clamation will probably be issued
within the next day or two.
President Harding only last week
declared that he had not decided upon
the appointment of an American Am
bassador to Germany. 1t was gener-
ally understood at one time that
Loring Dressed, American High Com
missioner at Berlin. would be selected
for this place and his friends have
been very active in his behalf. The
name of Dr.. David Jayne Hill, former
Ambassador at Berlin, is also be-
ing brought forth in this connection.
DR.. Hill has just returned to the
United States after 4 visit to Ger
many and Switzerland. He says
Germans are going to work now and
gradually recovering from the effects
of the war.
President Harding is being be-
sieged with letters and kilograms
from religious and patriotic organi-
cations in all parts Of the country
praying for the success of the arms
conference. Many of these communi-
cations are high in their praise of the
Chief Executive for calling the con-
ference and their wishes go with
them. There is no doubt but that
the sentiment of the country, as
whole, is in favor Of reduction in
both naval and military a,maments
in order to relieve some of the tax
burden now resting upon the should
erS of the citizens not only of this
country but of other leading. nations
as well. If war can be made impoSsi-
bic through agreements between the
leading nations, civilization will have
been benefited in more ways than
one.
Two young girls who had "hiked"
all the way from New York to Wash
ington, shook hands with President
Harding on Saturday afternoon.
Both were attired in khaki trousers,
flannel shirts, slouch hats and boots.
They say they were not molested by
anyone during their entire trip al
though one carried large hunting
knife while the other was armed
with police whistle, One of the
girls is graduate of Cornell Uni
versity while the other is junior at
Columbia College, New York. They
had two weeks in which to make the
round trip and were given lifts"
from accommodating autoists, but re-
fused to ride on trains or street cars,
They stopped at the Y. w. c. a. in
Philadelphia and Baltimore and
seemed none the worse off as result
of their long tramp,