The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1921-09-22
THE ARMAMENTs CONFERENCE

The United States has acted on
the suggestion of the allied Powers
and has been attempting to arrange
a basis of discussion expected to re-
suit in an agreement on what shall
be taken up at the Conference for
the Elimination of ornaments. The
suggestions assume the existence of
two schools of thought, one believ-
ing the agenda should be general in
scope and the other that they should
be definite and detailed. This Co
vernment favors a more general form
of agenda, one that will make it pos
sible for the conference to discuss all
outstanding questions with bearing
on the limitation of ornaments and
upon the Far Eastern question, the
settlement of which is a necessary
preliminary to any agreement on
limitation of armament.
This preliminary discussion of the
agenda furnishes the first diplomatic
contest Of the conference, friendly in
its nature but expected to have a
determined character. AS the Europ-
can Powers have generally assumed
the United States, as the host Of the
gathering, shall be the spokesman in
suggesting the nature of the agenda,
the initial conflict of opinion will
probably be between Japan and the
United States. State Department
officials refuse to discuss the nature
of the tentative prosposals further
than to admit having submitted
them, and it is made plain that sug
gestions from Toxic and other places
purporting to give the nature of the
American proposals were wide of the
mark. If general form of agenda
is adopted, such as was used at the
Versailles conference, the following
represents fair outline of what this
Government would like to have plac-
ed before the conference:
l. The open door and an equal
opportunity for all in the Far East
and in mandate territories as we'll.
2. The territorial integrity of
Russia in Siberia, the open door there
with equal opportunity, the Powers
the constitute themselves benevolent
guardians for the protection of
Russia until such time as Russia
shall rehabilitate herself.
8. The same application of the
principles of the open door and ter
ritorial integrity for China and the
substitution of international coopera
ton for the former practice of,
spheres of Influence and foreign ex-
ploitation of China.
Other general subjects would in
clude the question of fertilization in
the Pacific, question of immigration,
etc. If more detailed agenda be
desired and insisted upon, then this
country will ask that all the cards
be placed upon the table.
Information coming to Washing
ton is that Japan is much more will
ing to discuss all germane subjects
than was indicated in her acceptance
of the invitation. Public sentiment
in Japan is said to be undergoing a
radical change due to a more COM
plete understanding that the United
States will not enter the conference
as an attorney for China nor as an
enemy of Japan This determine
ton of policy mas been made clear
to japanese representatives here. 1t
is acknowledged that in some in
stances the Chinese and American in
terests will be parallel, but where
they diverge the United States will
pursue an independent course. Above
everything else it is the desire of
this Government to reach friend
ly understanding with japan that
will wipe out all causes Of differences
which might threaten future con-
f1ict.