The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-14

determine to a great extend whether the conference will be a mere debat- ing session or a hard-headed, practi- cal attempt to settle outstanding problems menacing the peace of the world
 An effort already has been launched to discredit the statesmen who de- yised the treaty of Versailles. These figures. among whom Premier Lloyd George of Great Britain is frankly coupled with the leading French Chauvenists, are regarded by a cer- tain section of influential liberal opinion in this country as "tarred with the brush of Paris" and their presence in Washington at the discus sions beginning on November II, would be regarded by the liberal ele- ment In this, as well as in other countries, as prejudicing the atmos- phere of frankness and sincerity and seriousness of purpose upon which the practical outcome of the Wash ington conference Is to depend.
 Not Administration View
 There is undeniably large section of American public opinion not con- fined to so-called liberal circles, which regards Lloyd George as pri- marily politician. This opinion, it ought to be made clear, does not nec- essarily mark the views of the ad- ministration which maintains an at titude of courteous reserve toward the selection of foreign delegations. in which the administration naturally hopes as manx outstanding figures will be included as is practicable un- der the various European domestic situations.
 There is large unofficial senti- ment which believes that Lloyd George would be influenced by the varying winds of political circum- stances and swayed by the necessity of maintaining parliamentary ma iority in the House of Commons. MT. Lloyd George has, moreover, reversed himself quite often on matters con- nected with the treaty of Versailles, so much so, in fact, as not to be re- sarded here as an international figure characterized by the same sort of moral ferver as Secretary Hughes. A man of the caliber of Viscount Bryce or Lord Robert Cecil would awaken greater confidence in the American mind, 1t is felt, than either the British prime minister or Lord Curzon, who occupies the ministry of foreign affairs in tho present Brit ish government.
 Confidence In smuts
 General Shuts, prime minister of South Africa, Is also regarded in Washington as being figure in whom most Americans would place full confidence. But whenever the British government decides to send to Washington to argue the almost preponderant interests of the British Empire It Is generally hoped here in both official and unofficial circles that the British delegation will ap- proach its tasks with the same kind of earnest determination to achieve practical solution of Pacific difficult ties as has marked Secretary Hughes, attitude from the moment the project of a conference was broached.
 As far as France Is concerned, the French statesmen who made the Versailles treaty bewildered as they were by the passions of nationalism current in Europe in the winter of 1918, have most of them gone into the discard, temporarily ct least. Ex- Premier Clemenceau, having hunted tigers in Africa, is hack in aris si- lent-and doubtless cynical. Ex President Raymond Poincare, after his various efforts to force the Briand government to take drastic action against Berlin, either In the