The New York herald., 1921-12-10
As a Result Walls Are Be-
ing Made That Things
Move Too Fast.
REAL POLICY ADHERED TO
London Writer Pays Tribute
to Harding and Hughes for
Notable Precedent.
By wICKHAM sTEED.
Editor Of The London Times.

Editor OF the London Times.
Copyright. 1921, By United Netos.)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-When this
conference is over, Sir Maurice Han
key. secretary to the British
delegation, might write an essay upon
the high speed process in interna-
| tional deliberations. 1t would form
useful appendix to his well known
lecture on Diplomacy by Conference"
The virtue OF the Washington con-
ference is that It is proving, if it has
not already proved. the value of
We'll defined policy on a limited
agenda, and of clear statement at
the outset OF the lengths to which the
convening Power Is prepared to go,
after just consideration of the in
terests of others, in order to secure
the objects in view.
When q good pace is thus set, in
triguers and wreckers have no time
TO mature their plans. They are con-
stantly left painting by the roadside
while the conference trots forward
audible in some quarters, that things
are moving too swiftly.
They are moving swiftly. BY this
time the final touches have probably
been put to the quadruple Pacific agree
ment, which yesterday was so far COM
pleted that 1t needed little more thar
punctuation. Forecasts of the attitude
| of the Senate toward 1t seem to confirm
anticipations that when its exact terms
and true character are revealed the
Senate will be unlikely to withhold or
even delay assent.
Harding Rcassures Senator's.
| The assurances publicly and officially
| given to Congress In the Presidents
/ recent address have. it appears, been
supplemented by private messages from
| the White House that have tended to
allay any apprehensions Senator'S may
have felt Besides. the reputation that
recalcitrant and eninently unreasonable
body requires substantiation AS far as
my personal experience Of United States
Senators goes, / should say they are no
whit less alive to the great possibilities
Of the Washington conference than are
the mass of their fellow citizens. When
once they feel convinced that their rights
are not being ignored or overridden, and
that no national interest is being endan-
sered. they will probably be found
eager to put the seal of their approval
upon a historic work that will rebound
| to the lasting credit OF their country.
Good progress was made yesterday
with the consideration of the Chinese
question. After the Chinese spokesman.
| Dr. Wellington Koo, had been caYessed
by Mr.. Balfour into perceiying some of
| the implications of the Chinese demands
and Mr.. Hughes had supported Mr.. Bal
| four's remarks, Sir Auckland Geddes
proposed resolution which, with the
approval of France. Italy and Japan, was
ultimately adopted. With reference to
| the four principles originally drafted by
Mr.. Root and adopted in the Far East
ern committee the resolution declared In
the name OF the nine Pacific Powers
| l. g., including China--that "it Is their
! intention not to enter into any treaty,
| agreement, arrangement or understand
| ing, either with one another or individ-
ually or collectively with any Power or
Powers which would infringe or impair
the principles" adopted at the instance
OF Mr.. Root.
The effect of this resolution Is TO pre-
clude arrangements detrimental to China
as have been repeatedly made by Chi
nese governments with other Powers, IL
Is step forward in the direction of
clearing away arrangements respecting
special spheres of interest which cum
Der the ground.
stand of British Government.
On behalf OF the British Government
Mr.. Balfour reiterated the assurance
that, "as far as Great Britain Is con-
cerned. spheres OF interest are "a thing
of the past. The British Government
has nos the slightest wish 90 prolong a
situation which. for it's part, has already
been explicitly abandoned"
Mr. Balfour, however, recommended
China herself to adopt an even more
fruitful method OF overcoming her diff
| ficulties-to create pure and vigorous
administration. All that the conference
could do was to see that no undue linn
itations, no limitations not neccssitated
by the facts of the situation. were
placed on China's sovereign lndepend-
ence and TO give all the help In its
power toward the creation of such a
Chinese administration.
Lamentations I'm quarters which en-
tertained a hope of using the conference
as an instrument for a vain affirmation
of China's maximum aspirations seem
to suggest that there Is now a prospect
that on the Chinese question also sat
factory and practical results may quick
ly be reached. On the other hand the
lamentations of Japanese writer's are
not unjustifled.
They contend that japanese states
manship has not yet availed Itself TO
the full OF the opportunities which the
conference offered 10 put forward an
honest. constructive scheme FOR the re-
generation OF China In the same spirit
as that displayed by Mr. Hughes in re-
gard to the limitation Of naval arna-
ments Japan has not indeed suffered
q loss of dignity, and stlll less any
| curtaiment of her true interests, at the
I conference, but her spokesmen have re-
peatedly found themselves on the defen-
\ sive. Obliged TO explain and TO give as
surances. instead of leading the way
with broad, self-denylng policy with
which other Pacific Powers could gladly
have associated themselves,