Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-11-28
ARMS MEETING
CAN NOT SOLVE
LLPROBLEMS
President Advises Future Con
ferences and Includes
Germany.
Special to Indiana Daily Times
and Philadelphia Public Ledger.
Nv PHILIPPE MILLET,
Foreign Editor LIE Petit parishes

Foreign Editor LIE Petit Parisien-
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2S.-Much I'M
portance must be attached to the an
nouncement made by President Harding
as regards the possibility Of converting
other conferences after the present one,
ard. also, Of inviting to the present con-
ference the other nations, including Ger
many, in order that they should ratty
such agreements as may be arrived at
I have reasons to believe that this sec
ond suggestion has been made without
the foreign delegations having been
previously informed. and it must there
fore m to the present be considered as
the expression Of an opinion more than
as a definite scheme Moreover, IL is
probable that these invitations to other
nations could not be made in time, as
the departure Of most Of the delegates IS
already fixed and will take place be-
tween the 18th and the 18th OF Deem
Der.
On the contrary, the first Of the two
ideas mt forward by the President de-
serve the most careful and serious at
tentfon. The American Government Is
cutie aware that the present conference
cannot last long enough to be able TO
solve all the problems Of the Pac1Ilc.
Some of these problems such as the
question Of extraterrftoriality in China
which has been approached in the last
sitting Of the Far Eastern committee VIII
require a long examination and possioly
an inquiry made on the spot. The use
fuI initiative taken by America in con-
vening the conference would therefore De
of no avail unless some means is found
70 renew in the future the Washington
conversations.
How can this means be foundf The
most simple would be indeed to convene
each year a pleuary conference similar
to the present one. This seems indeed
10 have been the idea which President
Harding had in mind. Such large con-
ferences could not, however, be held more
than at the utmost once a year, whereas
more frequent consultations may In the
meantime become necessary. For IN
stance IL would be regrettable that one
should have to wait q whole year before
taking single decision on the
various questions connected with extra
territOriality in China.
Under these circumstances. one Won
ders whether II would not be best to
create what might be termed a special
conference on the Pacific composed OF a
reduced number Of experts and OF rep
resentatives Of the various governments.
who would meet IN MdSHLus IOn eacu
time It became necessary. This special
and so to speak permanent conference to
which might be added a standing secre-
tariat would not prevent a more imposing
assembly similar TO the present one, but
more numerous and more representative
from meeting, in Washington from time
to time
France could but congratulate herself
over such a new departure. It would be
a mistake to try and find the slightest
analogy between such an institution and
the League Of Nations as the latter i'm
plies certain obligations which America
seems well determined not to accept. The
conference Of the Pacific would be but 4
diplomatic instrument, which would ia
ciitate international cooperation in a
certain field and at the same time leave
every one Of its members entirely free OF
any commitment. This kind of clearing
house would efficiently promote the set
Element of all outstanding difficulties in
the Far East and in the Pacific. This is
one more reason to hope that the. present
conference, which is fortunately pro-
crossing in normal way, viii end in
framing one or more general agreements
which viii facilitate the future develop
ment Of its work--Copyright, 1921, By
Public Ledger COuDauv