New-York tribune., 1921-11-20
- -
Pitfalls That
Menaced Paris
Farley
Simonds Says Results of
Far Eastern Discussions.
Depend Upon Manner In
Which Case Is Presented

more or less definite substitute for it
which would have the same general
character.
Now, do not believe as a result
Of what has happened in the opening
days that anything of the sort is
likely to happen. Washington shows
TO inclination at the present time to
undertake responsibilities on the
Hoang-ho which the United States
rejected on the Rhine. Specific COM
mitments in China would in the last
analysis involve the necessity of send
ing soldiers to the Far East and be-
coming, in sense, the guarantor of
the frontiers of China.
Nothing that has happened suggests
that Mr.. Hughes has any intention Of
reviving, so far as this country is con.
cerned, the project of the League Of
Nations or Of undertaking so far as
the Pacific is concerned to create some
new association resembling even re-
motely that which has its headquarters
at Geneva. Much less evidence has
been disclosed Of any inclination on
his part at any stage of this confer
ence to propose American adhesion to
the Geneva body. The danger of any
such experiment on the side Of domes-
tic politics is too patent to be mis-
taken.
To sum up, in the opening days it
seems to me that Mr. Hughes. with the
sanction and the support Of the Presi-
dent, has undertaken to put the disar-
mament circumstance to the fore be-
cause it is one on which agreement is
not only possible but extremely likely.
and in the second place he contem-
plates discussions over the Pacific
which will in the main consist of an
exploration Of the regions in which
agreement can be found and q meas
urably generous recognition Of jana
nese claims in regions which will be
in dispute.
How to deal with China? How to
remove the Anglo-Japanese Alliance
without consenting to become a part
ner in larger association which i'm
poses foreign commitments These
are questions which remain to be an
swered and for which no present an
swer is discoverable.
Hughes Reverses Order
Of the Paris Conference
A real harm is done to the cause of
peace, it seems to me, by the Constant
emphasis which is laid upon precisely
those definite detectives the pursuit of
which brought the Paris conference
down In ruin so far as Its Amer rican
phase was concerned. We are not 90
ing to inaugurate a new machinery to
make world peace in the Washington
conference. We are not going to pro-
mulgate some new and complete system
OF international relations. All this
was tried in Paris and ended in one of
the most dismal disappointments the
world has ever known. In Paris we
worked from the general to the partic-
ular. In Washington it is unmistak-
ably Mr.. Hughess purpose to work
from the particular little in the d.
rection Of the general.
To put the thing quite simply: Mr..
Hughes seems resolved to do two or
three things, one or two of which at
least are comparatively simple and the
doing of which will contribute to the
general restoration of international
amity.
was In Paris in the opening days
OF the last conference, and I have
lived in Washington all through the
hrst days of the present session. At
faris one felt as if one were travelling
IN the clouds. In Washington there is
at least reassuring reminder of the
pavement under foot. All things con-
sldered, it would be difficult to imagine
a more propitious opening than tbs
washington conference has had.
am aware of the fact that such n
forecast Of the probable achievements
OF the world conference will seem
meager to those who hope that there
Will be some startling and far-reach-
ing success. Yet, I repeat, a confer.
ence which was marked by much mu-
tual goodwill and by little actual lepis-
iatlon might in the end prove far NOR.
profitable than the Paris conference
winch was marked by excessive indu.-
try IN the manufacture of documents
The comment of Baron Shibusaw. =.
my friend Louis Seibold while tho lat
Ter was in Toxic recently seems to ma
worthy OF careful consideration. sei-
bold had discussed most of the major
questions Of interest at the moment
and at the close of his interview ha
asked this question::
What would your excellencv reeard
as the chief trouble with the world TO-
dayW
Back quick as q fash came this nm.
swer:
Too many events"
i understand in general the mean
ing Of this" responded Seibold. "hnt
perhaps your excellency would elab-
crate"
well, If the statesmen and tha
n - -