The Washington herald., 1921-07-11
PRESIDENT OPENS
WAY FOR CONGRESS
ON DISARMAMENT
CONTINUED yRoH PAGE ONE.

l- COSIlhUkD TkOh FACE OSk-
ceive prompt attention from the
allied powers
Il wish. however" he added, that
a call might have been issued as
specified In the Borah disarmament
amendment This would have per-
mitted a discussion of the subject
from purely q naval standpoint and
would have secured results more
quickly. 1 believe, than q request to
limit all armament. including land
forces, which the Presidents an
nouncement implies. With the situ-
alton in continental Europe as IL Is
az present, it. may be. difncult to
obtain early action on the question
of cutting land armaments."
Neither Senator Lodge nor. SEN
ator Hitchcock. the Republican ana
Democratic leaders. respectively,
were In the city last night
Senator Pittman. however, one OF
the spokesmen in the upper
branch during the regime Of for
mer President Wilson and now one
of. the members Of the Senate For
eisn Relations Committee, said that
the Democrats would support the
conference call enthusiastically.
wins Denser.tie s.pport.
1T is a recognition" he said. that
the United States must Cooperate
with the other principal nations Of
the world and is at least a par
tial abandonment OF the theory Of
isolation Democrats will be sure
to support any movement toward
disarmament The only objection
they might have is that President
Harding hasn't gone far enough.
1T unquestionably is an impor-
tsnt step toward world peace and
I hope the allies will accept it
The only possible objection 1 can
see from their standpoint might be
that they have a commission al
ready at work on it. There Is a
possibility that the allies might
again invite the United States to
join them in their own disarma-
ment Efforts" -.- .-5--- .-
made Qsiek Deei.se..
Final decision to issue the 'infor-
NAL but definite" suggestions for
the conference was reached Satur-
day after two conferences between
President Harding and Secretary
Hughes 1t had not been this gov
ernment's intention to draw the
question to a head so soon. but
diplomatic maneuyerings of the
British foreign ONCE during last
week tended to expedite the State
Departments action. Mr.. Hughes
conferred with the President twice
Saturday after receipt of reports
on conversations held between King
George and Ambassador George
Harvey at London. The President,
before leaving for his weekend
cruise down the Potomac, author
lied Mr.. Hughes to go ahead and
the direct inquiries mentioned in
Mr.. Hughes statement went for
ward Saturday night.
Announcement was made last
night after Official word had been
received that the inquiries had been
delivered to the governments ad-
dressed II was not the DISPOSE
tion OF the State Department TO be
placed in the position of having
originated the disarmament con-
ference idea and have some other
power carry IT to a head. That was
Why the British suggestions, called
over from London via press re-
ports, expedited action.
wsuld Adept Fsraula.
The vital question now is, as
Senator Poindexter, who il in
charge Of the naval bill pointed out
last night, ION what terms can
disarmament be hadT That. he
explained, can only be determined
after the conference is called.
As recently pointed out in these
dispatches, such conference. IL
cailed. would probably be restricted
at the outset to a discussion Of
a formula for future Armament re-
ducttou rather than decided upon
an tmmertfate naval holiday. As
pointed ont then-and the same Sit
uation holds today-this govern
mept could not agree to q naval
holiday now when its battie-cruiser
program has. not yet been complet-
ed. Both England and Japan have
battle cruisers of modern type, re-
garded as the most formidable craft
affoat. while the United States have
no ships Of this character.
L. I.psrtaat Move.
This Is only one of the many
phases Of the involved problem that
must come up for consideration
when the conference meets for ac-
tion- Meantime. naval authorities
here, declared last night, there win
lie. no cessation whatever of the
American naval building program.
The Presidents action. embodying
as IL does proposed settlements of
a profoundly delicate nature in the
Far East, means the most impor-
tant step Is under way in the Hard
ing foreign policy. This week bids
fair. therefore. to go dowi as one
important. even as the
same week two years ago. when
woodrow Wilson presented the
treaty OF Versailles and his pro-
posal for an association of nations
to the United States Senate.
HaYvav Tronc-.;k