The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1921-11-18
HUGHES DROPS BOMB
IN ARMS LIMITATION
u. S. Policy Gives Delegates
Surprise; Cards On
Table.


Secretary Hughes today at the open
inr of the conference on Limitation OF
armament in Continental Hall, that
Great Britain. Japan and the United
States shall Immediately destroy cap
itaI ships to the tonnage OF 1875
o42 tons.
That there be begun at once ma
val holiday for ten years.
That after the ten years ships can
not be replaced until they are 20
years old.
That never shall the most power
ful ship measure more than SS'oVV
tons.
From the moment that the Presi-
don't appeared at the little door 10
the south of the platform, JUST Two
minutes before the official opening
hour of 1880, until the adjournment
at 12:45, there elapsed but a trliie
over two hours.
Resides the program for reducing
armament. the regular business ac-
cemplished was the appointment OF
two committees to carry along the
main work of the conference. one Is
a committee on program and proce-
dure regarding limitation OF arma-
ment.
President Welcomed.
This committee will consist of rep
,esentatives of the five major pow
ers. The other is a committee on
nrogram and procedure with regard
TO the problems of the Pacific ana
This includes representatives not only
of Great britain, the United States
Janan. France and Italy. but also OF
Belgium, Holland, Portugal and Chi
ma.
When the President appeared at the
little south door it was evident that
he was high-strung with the ianse IN
terest of the moment, and when ne
walked to the center of the PLATFORM
smiling and greeted with applause
he maintained this intense look. Be
sides him as he spoke sat Secretary
Hughes, looking as calm as il he
were addressing the Supreme Court
of the United States.
After the prayer the President be-
gan TO speak at'1O:4O o'clock. He
spoke just eleven minutes. Then he
turned and shook hands with the
American delegates in order Secre-
-tary Hughes, Senator Lodge, Mr..
Root. Senator underwood AS this
brought him to the end of the row, ne
shook hands with two or three other
friends nearby and thus naturally
slipped out by the same door as quiet
ly as he had come.
Already Secretary Hughes was on
his feet I'VE will proceed" he
said. with the organization"
Balfour dominates Hughes.
Immediat2ly'Mr Balfour stood up,
and proposed, along with graceful
personal tribute, that Mr.. Hughes
preside over the general meetings OF
the conference md all the committee
meetings at which he might be pres
ent.
Mr. Hughes began to speak 1t /
O'clock and finished at 11:40 CLOCK
Those forty minutes might as well
have been four minutes, so rapt was
.ho oudienca in the sequence of the
secretary's statement.
BylO:15 o'clock the assembly room
in Continental Hall was filled, prac-
tically every seat was taken except
those reserved for the principal and
foreign delegates. Their seats were
arranged around tables in horseshoe
form. with the Americans at the head,
the British and Italians on their left
the French and japanese on their
right. Seats for the Chinese, Portu-
guese, Belgian and Netherland dele
gates were at the end of the horse
shoe.
The spaces on either side of the
tables were occupied with the advlso-
nv members of the foreign delega-
lions, while the advisory council APP
pointed by President Harding TO as
.sist the American delegation was
seated directly in the rear OF the
seats set aside for Secretary Hughes
and his associates. General Pershine
was in the center, and near him Her
bert Hoover. Theodore Roosevelt and
Samuel Gompers.
Bryan In Press Box.
Flankilg the American advisory
council were the flages of the nations
those of Great Britain, France. ia
nan, Italy and the United States be-
ing in a group at the right while on
the other side were grouped the flags
of China, Portugal Belgium and the
Netherlands
The press boxes on either side OF
the assembly room. were filled viii
about 200 representatives OF the
..,.io,n and foreign press. In lne