Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1921-11-18
NATIONS ARE ASKED
To REDUCE NAVIES
Scrapping of Capital Warships
and Ten.Year Halt in Guild.
ing Is Proposed.

| advocate OF disarmament dared hope
we're the American proposals laid be-
I fore the arms conference at its first
session by Secretary Hughes.
A ten-year naval holiday is the pro-
posal. and the United States. Great
Britain and Japan shall scrap 66 capt.
tai ships aggregating 1.S7s.043 tons.
Within three months after the con-
clusion OF an agreement, the United
States would have Is capital ships.
Great Britain % and japan 10. Ton
mage OF the three nations. respectively.
would be 500.65O. 6O4,45O and 299. 700.
Might Replace Ships.
Ships when 20 years old might be
replaced and the replacement scheme
is 100000 tons for the United States.
! 100000 tons for Great Britain and
3O0.O00 tons for Japan. No replace
ments could exceed $4,000 tons.
The United States would scrap 80
capital ships. aggregating 943,740 tons;
Great Britain IS. aggregating 5s3.375
tons, and Japan II. aggregating 44s.-
92S tons.
| The figures include old ships to be
strapped. ships building or for which
material has been assembled.
The American proposal. concrete
and detailed. fell on the opening nom
ents of the great conference like
bombshell. Foreign delegates were
stunned.
Conference Atmosphere Cordial.
Seldom has a conference of nations
assembled in an atmosphere OF greater
cordially than that which enveloped
the opening session OF the armament
conference.
From the moment Secretary Hughes
called the conference to order until
the last delegate had departed the
! Difference everywhere apparent was a
notable feature. Even the astonish.
ment of delegates and spectators at
the naval reduction proposal of the
American government failed to halt
the exchange of courtesies or develop
any manifestation OF doubt that the
negotiations would be crowned with
success.
A ] Balfour. head of the British
delegation. was the first among for
eign delegates to strike the general
note of harmony.
He received prolonged applause
when he proposed that as an extra
ordinary tribute to Secretary Hughes
and the United States the secretary of
state act as chairman by common con
sent and without formal election.
The galleries helped the spirit OF
good feeling along by calling for one
after another OF the distinguished dele.
gates until every head of a visiting
delegation had spoken.
After Hughes called the conference
to order prayer was offered by the
presidents pastor. the Rev. W. S
Abernethy OF Calgary Baptist church
Immediately at the conclusion OF the
prayer President Harding rose and
began delivery OF his address.
Mr.. Harding read his speech slowly
and deliberately from small printed
pages which he held In the hollow of
his left hand. With his right he pune
tuated his statements with driving
gesture.
Silence Tense During Keynote.
There was the tensest silence as the
president pronounced the keynote of
the conference as follows:
THE United States welcomes you
with unselfish hands. We harbor no
fears; we have no sordid ends to
serve; we suspect no enemy; we con
template or apprehend no conquest
Content with what we have, we seek
nothing that Is another's. We only
wish to do with you that finer. nobler
thing which no nation can do alone
We wish to sit with you at the table
OF international understanding and
good will. In good conscience we are
eager to meet you frankly and invite
and offer cooperation. The world de.
mands sober contemplation OF the
existing order and the realization that
there can be no cure without sacrifice.
not by one OF us. but by all of us
do not mean surrendered rights or
narrowed freedom. or denied aspira-
lions. or ignored national necessities.
Our republic would no more ask for
these than 1t would give. No pride
need be humbled. no nationality sub
merged. but would have a mergence
OF minds committing all OF us to less
preparation for war and more enjoy
ment of fortunate peace"
The audience and some OF the dele
cations came to their feet applauding
when Mr.. Harding declared America
wanted LESS OF armament and none
OF war" and wanted to work to that
end.