The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-11-12
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY AT THE
OPENING OF THE WASHINGTON
CONFERENCE OF DISARMAMENT
Notable Gathering of World Statesmen Unani-
mously Elected Secretary of State Hughes
To Act AS the Presiding Officer
of the Council

I General PerShing took his place
with the advisory committee and was
! quickly surrounded by representa-
tives of some of the army with whom
he was associated.
Premier BRAND and NJ. Viviani
stood together chatting behind their
chairs and Prince Tokugawa, of the
Japanese delegation, came in and en-
gagged in conversation with Sir Auck-
land Geddes, the British ambassador
Mr.. Balfour entered with former Pre-
mier Borden, of Canada.
The first applause, hearty and gen
erous, broke when Secretary Hughes
and the entire American delegation
took their seats at 1925 o'clock
A momentary hush fell on the as
semblage and then the applause
greeting the entrance of the Ameri-
can delegation and then the storm of
, conversation broke loose again.
Secretary Hughes sat at the side
of the table with a white slab of
marble and small gavel in front
To his right, in order. were Senator
Lodge, Elihu Root and Senator I'm
derwood On the secretary's left
were Lord Balfour, head of the Brit
ish.
Ten thirty, the official hour of op-
ening the conference, passed with
some of the delegations still absent
MIR. Hughes watched the clock and
the confusion around the doorway.
The audience rose and cheered as
Mrs. Harding took her place at the
front of the box where the vice presi-
dent sat. The President came in at
1898 o'clock and Immediately Secre-
tary Hughes called the conference to
order.
The Conference Prayer
Washington, Nov. 12-The prayer
with which the armament and far
eastern conference was opened today
was offered by w. S. Abernethy pas
tor of the Calvary Baptist church.
Washington. which the President at
tends, and was as follows:
Almighty God. we thank Thee for
the coming of this eventful day We
have seen it from afar and now we
rejoice that it has at last dawned.
May it bring untold blessings to Il
troubled world. O, Thou Omnipotent
One, today, as in other days, we be-
lieve that Thou dost guide in human
affairs. Thou hast made of one blood
all nations that dwell upon the earth
and though we are of many races and
many tongues, yet the interests of the
few are the interests of the larger
number. May we feel assured that
the welfare and the happiness and
prosperity of the human family are
| inexpressibly dear to Thy heart. We
pray for clear vision or we shall grope
blindly for the light and lose our way.
We pray for hearts lovingly sympa-
thetic to human distress wherever it
may exist, or we shall be sunk into
the depths of miserable selfishness.
We pray for minds willing to believe
that the strong ought to bear the in
firmities of the weak, or we shall
miss the great joy of service We
pray for the forward look or we shall
be overwhelmed in hopeless pessi-
mism. Give us the ability to think
clearly, to judge fairly, to act wisely
Help us to think less often of our
rights and more often of our duties
and responsibilities.
1--WE pray at this hour on behalf oi
world in sore need. Thou art moi
unmindful of the sufferings of Thy
people. The cries of multitudes oi
widows and orphans have come III
before Thee, o God. We have haG
our terrible baptism of blood There
, is hunger and pestilence and unutter
able anguish. God forbid that the woes
of these years should ever again be
visited upon the earth. Can it be
that Thou hast permitted us thus t
|, suffer in order that we might turr
: from our own devices to Thee anC
acknowledge Thee as King of oul
: lives and our destines? Out of tn,
, depth we cry unto Thee; save us o.
we perish.
, MAY we walk softly and humbly
/ before Thee this day and Throughout
the fateful days OF this conference
May we be intent upon knowing TIL!
will. and, knowing it, may we have
, the courage to do it. And may it no
I be that the findings of this conference
shall be so wise, so far reaching ant
: so beneficial that all mankind ma.
take new hope and fresh courage
r And to Thee shall be the praise an,
the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
, Immediately at the conclusion o
the prayer President Harding ros
, and began delivery of his address
The President had stood during tn
, prayer with bowed head between MI
Hughes and the pastor.
J. At the conclusion Of the praye