Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1921-10-21
WORLD WON'T
FULLY D|SARM
President Harding Seeks Some
thing Practicable, Rather
Than an Ideal.
U. S. FOR PUBLIC SESSIONS
Secretary Of State Hughes, Elihu
Root, Senators Lodge and Under
wood Hold First Meeting
President Harding's Letter.

Observation-Disclosures delegates 10
the conference for the limitation Of
ornaments held their first conference
in the office of Secretary of State
Hughes, with Basil Miles as secretary.
Mr.. Miles has been in the diplomatic
service since 1905, serving as secre-
tary Of embassy at Petrograd, Berlin,
ana Mexico, and he was also special
assistant to the Ambassador to Russia
in 1916 with the rank Of Minister,
finally returning to Russia again as
secretary of the Root mission to that
country. Recently he has been assls-
tant TO Assistant Secretary of State
Fletcher in arranging the details of
the conference, and his choice as
secretary of the American delegation
is certain.
While the conference between Sec
rotary of State Hughes, Elhu Root,
and Senators Lodge and Underwood
was in progress President Harding
made public at the White House
copy of a letter sent TO Miss Ella
Freed, of Brooklyn, N. Y, explaining
the viewpoint OF this Government with
reference to the possible achievements
Of the coming conference on the linz
itatlon of ornaments. Miss Freed had
written to the President advocating
complete disarmament. The Presi-
dent made 1t clear that, much as he
favored limitation Of disarmament, he
loes not believe Il possible at this
time and in the present condition OF
world affairs to achieve more than
lessen the armament burden and TO
reduce the danger of armed conflict"
Universal disarmament wrote the
President, would be beyond the hope
Of realization. 1t is necessary to deal
with actualtieS; to do the best posi-.
bic" Commenting upon the fact that
the generous response of the Powers
to the invitation to attend the confer
ance plainly indicated a favorable at
titude towards the practical effort, the
sincere beginning, that we are at
tempting the President concluded by
asking the support Of all people who
would be glad--as | assure you /
would to see still more accomplished
If possible"
The purpose of the delegation at its
meeting today is to canvass the work
already done by the State Department
in paving the way for American par
tlcipation in that meeting, to clear
away Instructions and TO prepare for
n constructive policy TO be pursued by
the American representatives in pre-
Senting the views of the United States
on disarmament and on the Pacific
problems. Secretary Hughes made
complete report TO the meeting Of
what has been accomplished and of
the steps now under way. Some con-
slderaton, ii is understood, was also
given TO the question Of the advisory
committee which the President intends
TO appoint this week. II possible.
The matters which Secretary Hughes
laid before his colleagues had to do
primarily with program and policy.
The question of policy is first and
foremost in the consideration of the
delegation, the topics to be advanced,
and the method of advancing them be-
ing one of primary Importance in its
bearing on the success of the confer
ence as whole. With the topics
agreed upon, there will come the prob
lem of assembling the information re-
lated to them which is now at the COM
mand Of the delegates, so as to present
each situation In Its strongest aspect
from the point of view of this Gov
eminent.
II Is well known here that the most
sincere advocates Of the Borah reS0lu-
ton in Congress, which paved the way
for the holding of the coming confer
ence, do not regard complete disarma-
ment as possibility at this time. On
the contrary they are chiefly interest
ed In bringing about, as far as possible.
an elimination of what are regarded
primarily as offensive weapons"
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