The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-11-30
CONSOLIDATED AUG. 2, 1881.
INFORMAL
SUGGESTION
Throws Out Feeler in
Reference to For
nation Of Associa-
ton Of Nations

nation OF ASSURE
ton Of Nations
washington, Nov. 25.-A con-
tinuing series of International con-
ferences whose fruition may be an
aassociation Of nations" has been
suggested informally by. President
Harding to some of the arms dele
gates and has met with their gen
Eeral approval.
# The suggestion has by no means
reached the point OF a definite pro-
pesal for such an association, but
it was revealed tonight that the
presidents personal conversation
with foreign spokesmen on the sub.
.jeet had greatly increased his hope
for q. new day in international re-
iationsnip as result Of the Wash
.mgton conference.
/ & It was indicated further that as
a first step toward worldwide rec
egnitien for the conference plan
the results of the 0egotiations here
EInight be submitted for approval
net only to the. participating ma
tons but to those not represented
here, including Germany and Rus
.sia.
So far as the suggestions of Mr..
Harding have been made known
they contemplate a meeting Of na-
tions about the council table once
a year to thresh out troublesome
questions and devise means for the
preservation of peace 49, 1t is
said to be the hope Of the president
that in the end all the smaller gov
ernments viii join with the great
powers In whatever discussions
may concern them or the world sit
suation generally.
s. There lis no ,indication that any
covenant or constitution would be
proposed as the basis Of the plan,
Cor that any elaborate international
machinery would be suggested to
carry it into effect. The meetings
might be convened to consider spe-
cal subjects or merely to/survey
9international relationship and look
fordanger points in a general effort
at good md ding.
Whether IAN International court
ssof 5usdce might be one OF the re-
:seiSss. subject wifichctiIes presi-
dent IS said TO consider too nebulous
for present discussion, although he
as known to regard some such trfb-
sunaI as a logical partSof the plan
he has advocated for. an "associa-
zion of nations His opinions on
that subject have been expressed in
several public addresses during the
past year, but he never has made a
detailed public statement Of the
exact method by which a court
could be established.
In fact, in his preliminary con-
sideration of the best means toward
international cooperation. Mr..
. Harding is said by his friends to
have tried to keep his proposals as
free from detail as possible with
the deliberate purpose Of reducing
to minimum the probable cause Of
complication. His intention is de-
sclared to have been to apply to the
world situation in the broadest
sense the principle of "a meeting
Of minds" as he employed it in his
pre-auguration days at Marion.
So far is he willing to go toward
dispensing with details, it is de-
clarea, that he is ready to let the
results of the present conference
and the plans fer future meetings
rest merely on, gentlemen s
agreement rather than a formal
treaty. Some members Of the
American delegation in the confer
cnce are said to favor the treaty
method, and the point is yet to be
decided; but it was asserted in
authoritative quarters tonight that
so far as Mr.. Harding was con-
cerned he would as soon have a
nations word as it's bond.
This position the President is sail
70 base upon a faith that the Wash
ington conference will help to put
q new face upon international re-
lationships and arouse a new sense
OF national honor. Agreements
such as the conference is expected
to reach are regarded by the Chief
Executive as touch 'ng closely ma
tional considerations of uprightness
and good will, and resting, there
fore. upon the good faith of all
nations concerned.
The hope of the President for a
continuation of conference like the
present one become known at mo-
meDt when the arms delegates
reached a stage of their delibera-
tons strongly suggesting in itself
that further negotiations will be
necessary to consummate the task
begun here. Representatives OF
the nine participating nations are
said to have virtually decided at the
session today to send an interna-
tional comission Of jurists tc in
yestigate China's judicial system,
and report next year to the various
foreign offices and discussions OF
other features of the Far Eastern
situation continued with growing
indication that some sort Of inter
national machinery would be nee
essary to carry out the results or
the conference discussions.