The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-11-16
Big Four Nations Accept
Hughes Proposals
In Principle.
RESERVATIONS WILD
REQUIRE DEBATE
Roosevelt Heads Subcom<
mittee on Naval
Questions. !
BY JOHN EDWIN NEvrN.

The arms conference Is funcCon1
ing. The oratoricaI flights are ended.
The delegates have had their say
in the open. Today they are work.
ing, safegusrded from the public
exchanging views on the twin sub<
jects, settlement Of which It is cons
ceded greatly will reduce tho
chances of future wars.
Yesterday, in a pIenAry sessions
filled with color, the Hughes pro-s
possls for Limitation Of naval arm-e
aments were accepted in principle
by the representatives. of the Big
-Four" nations In speeches over-
flowing with professions OF friend-'
ship. the scholarly Baifour, Britt
aims greatest commoner, the suayas.
fearless sailor. Baron Kato, Japan'si
minister Of marine; the scholarly.
sedate Schanzer, Italy's former
! treasury head, and the triumphant,
peppery BRAND, Premier Of France,
announced that 'In generaT' they in-
dorsed the suggestions OF Chair
man Hughes
Subject 10 ReservntionE
All but Schanzer made reserva-
tions. But they were not reserya-
tions OF a nature that promised fu-
ture trouble. And later on. when
the plenlpotentiaries from the big
Five met about the council table.
all agreed that, with their naval ex-
perts they virtually would be able
10 work out a final program that
VIII be satisfactory TO all. Il may
take time, in fact Il will. as some
OF the objections are rather sharp.
But there can be no doubt that II
the Far Eastern and Pacific ques-
uons do not throw the proverbIaI
monkey wrench" into the machin-
e-y the end of the mad race for
naval supremacy will come soon
after the new year.
Gather Man TO Man.
The committee on Limitation ot
ornaments, which Is made up Of an
OF the plenipotentiaries from the
United States, Great Britain. Japan,
France and Italy, went into session
yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock in
the quarters fitted up for II in the
ran American Building. The gather
ing was the first get-toEether meet
ing where all could talk cold tur-
key" There had been meetings out
/
exchanged views. There had been
the plenary sessions, in which the
eloouence Of the leaders had been
featured But this initial commit
tee meeting was the first actual op-
portunity for the members Of each
delegation individually to size up
the other fellow. Little Of a posi-
tive character was accomplished. II
was not expected that IL could be.
But the gathering served TO clear
the atmosphere. After all dIplo-
macy is a case Of man TO man. And
this was, and is. what the present
conference must be IL a hnal de-
cision is to be made. And IL was
officially admitted that subcommIt-
tees had been formed.
Roosevelt Heads Committee
When the afternoon session OF
the full committee on naval dis
armament adjourned last night
some Of the veterans in Washing
ton got q real thrill It was an
nounced that a special subcommit-
tee had been named 20 consider
the technical questions. That COM
mittee had five members, one for
each nation. And its chairman was
no less a citizen than Col. Theodore
Roosevelt
Memories of old days reverber-
ated with that announcement The
! 'Old Colonel came back a living
vital memory. Secretary OF the
Navy he was. Assistant Secretary
today his eldest son is. Real menI
And the appointment was accepted
as a very happy augury when it
later was learned that the appoint
ment or rather selection. because
under the unanimous agreement
policy there can be no nominations.
was by no less an authority than
Arthur James Balfour.
VIII COnsideE- Amendments.
This subcommittee will consider
from the technical side every suE-
gestion made by the delegates con-
cerning the reservations or amend
ments TO the original Hughes prop
osition. Once again a Roosevelt Is
looking out for the interests OF the
United States
Associated with him are the ma
val heroes Of the great war. Beatty
nero OF Jutland. where he risIed
ms battle cruiser squadron in a
desperate effort to finish the war
win single stroke: Kato. rem
ihlscent~ OF what japan stands for
IN sea nghting efficiency; Acton and
ne Bon-they are 70 serve UIthl
Col. Roosevelt in dIsposIng OF th..
technical problems that will arise
through the suggestions OF reser--
Vations and amendments. II will b.,
Lhelr recommendations that in fba.
maj analysis will prevail. Ana ths
personnel of this first subcommittes
OF experts was accepted as a bann,,
augury Of settlement OF AZ Ieast
one great question.
Text Of Announcement.
The Official announcement n.d.;
,oHowinE the adjournment Of a..
lmi'auon nm. OF naval arms Committee
i@st evening was as follows:
The first meeting OF -the oor,--
mittee on Limitation OF srnnsnoau,
was held I'm the Pan Ap,eriC. =
Building at 4 D. m, Tuesday. So-.
vember Is. There were present
the delegations Of the uustes
States Of America. the British EN-
pire. France. italy. and Japan. with
= Continued Y Po0s TSO.
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