Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-16
ARMAMENT MEETS SUCCESS
TO DEPEND ON PERSONNEL
BY ROBERT T. SMALL
(Leased Wire Service 20 The Journal.)
(Copyright 1921


WASHINGTON, Aug. 13.-With the
Washington conference on limitation
or ornaments and Far Eastern ques-
tions an assured fact, the question of
the atmosphere surrounding the dis
cussion on these subjects of vital in
ternational Importance mas become a
prime consideration in the mind of
official Washington.
World public opinion, upon which,
as indicated in the highest admins
tration quarters, the success of the
conference will depend, is regarded
as waiting upon the announcements
of the official delegations of the va
rlous countries concerned. The char
acter and standing of the plenipoten-
tiary representatives dispatched to
Washington by their respective gov
ernmentS will determine to a great
extent whether the conference will be
mere debating session or hard
headed practical attempt to settle
outstanding problems menacing the
peace of the world.
An effort already has been launch
ed to discredit the statesmen who
devised the treaty of Versailles.
These figures, among whom Premier
Lloyd George, of Great Britain, is
French chauvinsts, are regarded by
a certain section of influential liberal
opinion in this country as "tarred
with the brush of Paris" and their
presence in Washington at the dis
cussions beginning on November II
would be regarded by the libereal ele-
ment in this. as well as in other
countries, as prejudicing the atmos-
phere of frankness and sincerity and
| seriousness of purpose upon which
the practical outcome of the Washing
ton conference is expected to depend.
Opposed to Lloyd George
There is undeniably a large sec
tion of American public opinion, not
confined to so-called liberal circles,
which regards Lloyd George as pri-
narlly politician. This opinion, it
ought to be made clear. Toes not nee?
essarily mark the views of the ad-
ministration. which maintains an at
tltude of courteous reserve toward
the selection of foreign delegations
in which the administration natural
ly hopes as many outstanding figures
will be included as is practicable I'M
der the eXigencies of various Euro
pean domestic situations.
There is, however. large unof-
fetal sentiment which believes Lloyd
George would be influenced by the
varying winds of political circum-
stance and swayed by he necessity
OF maintaining a parliamentary ma
lority in the house of commons. Mr.
l.,
himself quite often on matters con-
| rected with the treaty of Versailles,
| so much SO in fact as not to be re-
garded here as an international figure
| characterized by the same sort OF
moral ferVor as marks Secretary
Hughes.
A man of the caliber of Viscount
Bryce or Lord Robert Cecil would
awaken greater confidence in the
American mind it is felt, than either
the British prime minister or Lord
Curzon, who occupies the ministry
or foreign affairs in the present Brit
1sh government. General Jan. c,
Africa, is also regarded in Washing
ton as being figure in whom most
americans would place full conf
dence.
But Whomever The British govern
1Aent decides to send to WASHINGTON
70 argue the almost preponderant in
terest OF the British empire itais gem
orally hoped here in both official and
uho1fclal circles that the British dele
gatlon VIII approach it's tasks with
the same kind of earnest determina-
tlon TO achieve a practical solution
OF paclhc differences as has mark
ca Secretary Hughes attitude from
the moment the project of confer
ence was preached
Difficulties Realized
AS Tar as france is concerned, the
rIGin ih statesmen who made the Ver-
salIles treaty, bewildered as they
were by the passions of nationalism
current in Europe in the winter of
1918, nave most of them gone into
the discard, temporarily at least.
IEx-Premler Clemenceau, having
BBunted tigers in Africa, is back in
ParlS silent-and doubtless cynical.
Ex-President Raymond Poincare,
after his various efforts to force 5he
BRAND government to take drastic
action against Berlin, either in the
n a. ai1,, or ru Upper silesia. is resting
ment to renew the attack.
Meanwhile Premier BRAND, who
started life as a Socialist and wound
up at the head of French govern
m n unalterahly opposed to Soviet
ranging series of domestic and in
ternational crises, in which he did
not hesitate to declare, in the face
of French nationalistic opinion led
by PoIncare, a spirit of conciliati
toward the Wirth government at Ber-
lin
BRAND is regarded as having been,
TO great extent, free from the at
mosphere of Versailles, but the ire
mendous pressure always upon him
to maintain himself under the pres
sure of a reactionary French parlia-
ment is thought in Washington to
be a great drawback to his freedom
of action in dealing with the other
powers summoned to the American
discussions.
The administration, which has been |
careful to express no opinion on
these disputed aspects of the confer |
ence, fully realizes, however the diff |
ficulties Of dealing with plenipoten-
tiaries other than prime ministers.
If the chief delegates to the Wash
ington conference are not the heads |
of governments, there always will |
be present the inevitable necessity of |
referring resolutions and drafts of |
agreements back to the home govern
ments for final decision. The pleni-
potentiaries, in other words will have
full powers in name only, and the
conference might take on the aspect
Of the so-called council of ambassa-