New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-12
Harding Calls
) n atiOns to
Arms Council
Continued from page one)


Britain to participate in a confer
ence on the subject OF limitation Of
armament, in connection with which
Pacific and Far Eastern questions
will also be discussed. to be held in
Washington on the 18th day OF No
vember, 1921"
The tremendous burden the arma-
ment race places on productive indus
try. and the reactionary tendency
which such huge expenditures increase,
as we'll a. the constant menace to the
peace of the world are stressed in
the Presidents invitation. In very
polite language the attention of Brit
ain. France, Japan and Italy is called
TO the fact that they, with the United
States, are the parties responsible for
the fact that an armament race Is in
progress.
Armies Not Specifically Mentioned
The original informal suggestion by
President Harding carried the idea
that the disarmament plan would no.
be confined to navies, as had been pro
posed, for instance, by Senator Borah
but would include other lighting
branches as well. It was pointed OFT
at the time that there was very gen
eral desire inside Administration
circles that France should reduce her
army, this being on purely economic
grounds. The theory was that France
would not only be in better position
to reduce here foreign obligations, but
that her citizens. freed, would be able
to purchase more comm oditles, possibly
some from America, if the cost OF her
army could be reduced.
The invitations arc specific in their
contention that the armament hmita-
no
but there is no specific reference to
armies. The purpose behind this, it IS
believed, is to get at reductions of air
forces, which might be independent Of
either army or navy, and to take care
of any other situations where the
dividing line might net be clear. En-
phass has been placed on this by the
recent bombing tests off the Virginia
Capes, where the ease with which land
planes could attack ships a consider
able dlsta nee at sea was demonstrated.
A sentence of the invitation refer
ring 20 curbing Of new methods of war
fare, reads
ut may be found advisable to formu-
late proposals by which, in the inter
est of humanity, the use Of new agen-
cles OF warfare may be suitably con
troled"
This, it was said, referred to the use
Of gas, and possibly to submarine oper-
atoms. as we'll as bombing of non
fighting ships and cities The posi-
blity of its reference to gas is Of es-
peciai interest, in view of the Presi-
dents move today to save the dye em
barge, which both Secretary of the
Navy DENLY and Secretary of War
x.ofy u
national defense standpoint. Every
other nation sitting at the conference
has protected its own dye industry
with the real motive believed to be the
saving Of potential factories for gas
and explosives in the event of war
he invitation makes it clear that
this government will not attempt to
define the scope Of the agenda on the
Pacific ard Far Eastern questions
leaving this to Informal discussions
prior to the meeting of the conference
In view Of the firm belief Of Admin
lstration officials, and for that mat
ter of virtually every diplomat il
" Washington, that the only possibility
o. the conference accomplishing any
thing practical on armament limita-
ton is for the disputes between the
| United States and Japan to be salts
factorily adjusted, the language of the
invitation on this point is most inter
esting. 1t concludes the sentence or
agenda discussions with the words:
an the expectation that the spirit
Of friendship and cordial apprecia
ton Of the Importance of the elimina-
ton of the sources of controversy will
govern the final decision"
Japanese Contention Met
Several prominent Japanese states
men. including the Premier, have beer
quoted as saying that this question OIL
that Will not be cons dered by the con-
ference because it has been settled OF
concluded, sometimes they say BY the
Versailles treaty, sometimes in other
ways. Two of the questions which the
Japanese leaders in their interviews
have frequently eliminated from the
possibility of consideration at the
Washington conference are Shantung
and zap
The invitation, considering the fac
that it is couched in diplomatic Ian
guage, IS astonishingly frank on this
point, stating that at may be po ;sibie
o find a solution of Pacific AMI Fa1
Eastern problems of unquestioacd i'm
portance at this time-that is. such
common understanding with respect t
matters which have been and are of in
ternational concern a may serve &c
promote enduring friendship among
our peoples"
The words have been and are
would seem 10 leave little doubt that
this government is not accedng tc
many theories about questions If
which it has an interest
] The invitations were written by Sec,
rotary Hughes in the last few days, anC