The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-11-06
Representatives of Nations Come With Polite Dis truStfuIneSS" of Each 0th- CT, Each to Try to Solve Problem Without DepriV- ing His Own Country of Any Boon
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau. The. Age-Herald

bOO DhNlus0n ibuiluInE.
 Washington, November 5.-(Spe- cial.)--I the forthcoming conference for the Limitation of armament re- suits in more than round table dis cussion Of international problems, there must be a treaty which after justification by all nations concerned win be permanently binding.
 Such is the conclusion of promi- nent leaders of the Senate, and it IS understood that the American dele .Sation, informally If not formally hns determined to stand for con tract rather than mere oral promise or agreement. The idealsm of the idealistic age-that which passed last 'year-apparently has footing no where on the face of the globe.
 The representatives of the several peoples of the world who will sit in Washington. beginning November 12. for an indefinite period-possibly year-will be animated, 1t is evident, by a polite distrustfulness" of each other, that which has been, ul til the uprising of Woodrow Wilson, the chief characteristic of conventional diplomacy in the courts of Europe.
 Ihe MtssinE CelebrnleS
 The Washington conference, even if it should result as did the Yer sailles conference-"in the nothing that all things end in"-will have Initial characteristics absolutely dis similar. There will be no Woodrow Wilson with a golden dream of Utopia. There will be no Lloyd George, the little Welshman with the biggest brain in Europe, and with the national selfishness and political astuteness of Disraeli. And there will be no Clemenceau, whose tiger fsh devotion to France endeared him to all people.
 While the Dig guns' of the other day will be absent, their very absence will contribute to American adyan- tage even though America Is seeking no advantage. MT. Wilson was too honest to dream dishonesty. too un- selfish to dream selfishness. in others. And thus he was easy prey. according to international critics, for those more dishonest and less un- selfish. And he was further handi- capped, 1t has been pointed out. by his d~1ticn to the covenant of the lIs'ague of Nations, for the protection of which he was forced to sacrifice some of the vital points of the fa- nous fourteen.
 Where Wits Are Matched
 With idealism eliminated. the con ferees will enter upon their work as practical men, each trying to solve world problem without depriyinp his own country of any present boon which guarantees It's continued safe ty either in a martial or commercial sense.
 Every card put upon the table will De carefully scrutinized. The pres isnce of A. J. Balfour. it Is whispered -here. will necessitate scrupulous ob- servation. For when last in Ameri- ca, he talked with Woodrow Wilson of idealism in international affairs. but said nothing of the secret treaty already entered into by Great Brit ain and Japan. Had he mentioned ;Sct secret treaty. the subseouent course of the United States would. in at least certain particulars have been different.
 At any rate. by virtue of the les sons which have been learned, Wash ington has reached a point. if Is strongly indicated, where it Is pre- pared to insist on a formal treaty covering all points agreed upon. And so broad has become the prospective scope of the conference. and so null ttudinous and intricate its delicate problems that disarmament, for which the conference was called. may De ultimately regarded as of only secondary importance
 The Carnival Atmosphere
 But while the diplomats are pre- -Perihs for battle of wits as If un-