South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-11-21

armies among other armament d.
visions. but neither the United States
nor Great Britain has any direct or
immediate interest In the subject.
both having already cut their armies
TO the bone. IL appears wholly
likely that il any proposal such as
the American naval plan was 20 be
submitted for armies, II would come
from France or one OF the powers
possessing great army strength. As
yet there has been no sign Of such
a plan.
Much interest has attached 10
Premier Brands coming statement
because Of what references. yelled
or otherwise. he might make to the
well known French desire that
France and the United States Join
in some form Of assurances for sup
port Of France should she be again
attacked. In view Of the general at
titude in Washington on that auee-
ton. however, it is regarded as ike
" that Premier BRAND will make
even direct reference TO It. II was
thought far more probable that he
would seek 10 give the conference
a picture Of the present situation OF
France as visualized by her govern
ment.
Meanwhile, American military ad-
visers are prepared for the initiation
/ of the land armament question by
some other group They are pre-
/ pared 10 show that the American
army Is now far below any ratio OF
t land power, which might be sug-
gested; that II is completely de-
! modified; that no organized re-
serve beyond a paper structure
stands behind It, with the exception
Of the national guard, and that the
standing army today is no more
than national police force and pos,
/ sihly Is too small for even that work.
There have been no meetings of the
American military group. Their
work has been confined TO statisti-
cal preparation, TO inform the dele
cations on any point that may arise.
This data is in the hands of Sec'y
Hughes and his colleagues and un-
less the experts are called in later,
they have no active place in the con-
ference circle.
1t now appears likely that the
conference will. when it reaches the
item on the agenda providing for
discussion OF new agencies of war.
turn this question over to a Joint
commission or commissions. The
subject will involve use of air
bombs, gas, summaries and similar
matters and ii does not seem likely
this discussion will be carried on by
the full conference.
Conversations" Help.
Informal conversations" between
\ leading members Of the various
delegations attending the armament
conference are proving the most eff
fectiye way of getting results, and
TO this method of assuring a meet
ing OF minds" is being ascribed
credit for much of the success which
has been gained by the conference
thus far
Members of the American group
are particularly industrious in this
regard, most of their time between
meetings of the conference, or of its
committees being devoted to con-
Versations with members of foreign
delegations. Not infrequently these
! meetings last far into the night and
/ deal with the most delicate and i'm
portant features of the conference.
Immediately following the sensa-
tiOnal announcement in open con-
ference Of the American plan for re-
ductiOn of naval ornaments there
was a series Of such conversations
I hot fwH
delegates and prominent foreign
delegates, including such distin-
guished military and naval advisers
as Marshal Foch and Admiral
Beatty.
Now that attention is centeriuN
upon far eastern questions, the same
type of conversations are proceeding
with encouraging results, 1t is said
by some of the participants They
are regarded as very helpful in
clearing away misunderstanding.
GREAT CONFIDENCE EXPRESSE
As a result Of the conference sat
urday between Sec'y Hughes, Mr.
Balfour and Admiral Baron Kato
at which the naval question wai
thoroughly canvassed i'm the light oil
the Japan>ce reservations, the great
est confidence was expressed il
authoritative Japanese circles Sun
day night that an accord eventually
would be reached. The conference
it was said, efectually cleared tn,
air" Of many misunderstood points
While no official statement was
forthcoming as to the nature of the
tripartite discussion Saturday, IL wa
believed that a partial explanation
at least. lay in the statement OBJ
tanned at the headquarters Of one
delegation that the three great nava
powers might have varying esti
mates Of the actual existing strength
of their navies. which being har
monized, might suggest a way 10 &
settlement of ratios.
The position of Japan was Sc
forth Sunday night as that OF deter
mination 10 attain a favorable agree.
ment Japan experts were emphati,
i'm declaring that tonnage and no
consideration OF speed and anna
ment was the logical basis Of ratio
displacements. Thep pointed on
that a battle cruiser might posses.
greater speed but that she was in
ferior 10 a dreadnaught in strength
or armOr and number OF guns and
; that I'm naval engagement at clos,
quarters would certainly be at Z
. disadvantage. Therefore. the fac
! that British and japanese capita
, ships included battle cruisers wa
, not 10 them an indication OF supe.
rior strength and should not b'
counted as such. they insisted.
Japan has no positive program
concerning the general question oil
China which will be discussed thia