The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-11-15
Ey DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial Dispatch To The Beformer.)
Copyright 1921. -


Especial Dispatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 1J.-Ameriea's
naval proposals, as announced by Secre-
.ury Hughes, are predicated upon the con
tident assumption that the Anglo-Japa-
aese alliance as we'll as all ether military
combinations in the Far East will be
eliminated
The United States is willing to reduce
the SIZE of its navy but insists that the
causes of misunderstanding which make
navies necessary shall be removed.
Emphasis is placed today upon the
words of Mr. Hughes original invitation
| 10 the powers in which he says. 1T is
quite clear that there can be no final as
~uance of the peace of the world in the
absence OF the desire for peace and the
prospect of reduced ornaments is not Il
hopeful one unless this desire find express
! sion in a practical effort TO remove the
causes of mlSuNuer>ta nding and TO seek
| ground for agreement as To principles and
| their application; il is the earnest wish
| IF this government that through an inter
! change of views with the facilities at
| forlcd by the conference il may be pos
~lble to find a solution of Pacific and Far
| Eastern problems.
Must Settle Far East
In other words. he limitation of arma-
meuts il ln~eparahly bound i'm the settle
meut of Far Eastern questions. This
means that before an agreement can be
reached upon the one there must be an
agreement on principles at least affecting
| the Far East. This is the cruN of the con
i"rgEce at the moment for IL seems likely
| that The naval proposals will he accepted
and of course. reduction in the size Of
he navy OF the United States would
hardly bc countcnanced if there We're ina
mediate prospect of friction in the Far
| East.
The japanese delegates have carefully
rcfraincd from saying that they would ac-
rcpt the American proposals upon coudi-
ton that a satisfactory agreement is la
ter reached upon Far Eastern questions.
| This is truly significant for il l. far more
advantageous for the Japanese TO see the
United States committed to a smaller
navy az tHis time than to have held over
them the lever OF large armamont~ if they
do not agree to Americas suggestions on
Far Eastern problems
Since the United States is not eager to
seq anything settled at this time except
the naiu principles of the naval program.
1t * probable that nothing final win be
agreed upon which * actually binding on
amy OF tile nations until all the Far East
crn questions have been thoroughly can
IN these matters. too.
NngIO-Iapanese Alliance
The United States is saying nothing
about the Anslo-Iauanes-o alliance but is
taking It for granted that Great Britain
knows. as JapaD must realize, that the
American naval proposals are Intellectual
unless the alllauC" is absolutely wiped
ont For n combination of British and
Japanese naval strength would violate the
principle announced by Secretary Hughes,
namely. that in general regard should be
had to she existing naval strength of the
powers concerned" An Anglo-JapaneSe
combination would absolutely alter the ra-
tic of American TO Japanese sea-p0wer.
There i 4 confidence. moreover. that
the Canadian strength at the conference
here will ne thrown on the scales on the
side IF eliminating the AugiO-Japanese al
lance. for it is reasoned there that if
the United States is ria of an immense
financial burden. the business revival here
cannot but help the economical situation
OF Canada,
Similarly the pressure for an accept
aHCc of Mr.. Hughes's proposals is coming
from all parts of the world where the
hope is that an economic revival will fol-
low the abandonment of useless expeudi-
rurc for navies. Having made progress on
the program of naval armament. however.
thc next step is to bring about something
of the spirit Of concord in the Far East
"Tn questions, admittedly more difficult
task. The air * filled with expectations
Of another formula by Mr. Hughes to be
sprung on the conference laying down GER
tain principles on the Far Eastern stu
alton. Whether these will be laid on the
table ut an open session or an agreement
sought in committee. is yet to be deter
mined but the American aspiration is for
these principles:
american Terms
~ l. III 1
gated.
Second. That spheres of influence in
The Far East shall be given up by powers
and the principle of the open door alb
Solutely accepted with a pledge for its
maintenance
Third. That an international tribunal
be constituted where pending questions
as we'll as other yexed interpretations of
existing treaties may be adjusted.
Unless some such body is provided for.
the conference here might last for months
without achieving agreement as the prob
lem of China'S relations to the treaty
powers is a complicated one and the most
that can be hoped for in a gathering such
as this is Il binding agreement upon prn- |
cipieS which can be applied by the tribu-
nal AZ each case arises.
An Optimistic Spirit
The spirit Of the moment is one of OPP |
timism: the reception given the Hughes |
proposals by the whole world has Stimu-
lated the American delegation to proceed /
IN the open on questions at issue Open |
diplomacy has achieved n victory far be- /
Sond the expectations of Secretary |
Hughes himself who il responsible for |
the policy of laying all cards face up. |
The conference is still in preliminary
stage: oycr-canlidence is still unwar-
vantcd But the outlook is brighter as
This conference opens than it was at