The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1921-11-18
|0UTL|NE Of WHAT (.
DIFFERENT POWERS
AIM TO ESTABLISH
ENGLAND AGREEABLE
She is Quite Ready to Reduce
the Cost of Naval Arma-
ment; Japan Would Cling to
Her Submarine; China VIII
Stage a Great Fight for Po-
litical independence.
(By David Lawrence.)

Washington, Nov. 16.-Govern'
ments do not usually show their hanl
early in an international conference
but enough has developed here al
ready to determine what the genera
course of the various nations is to be
Now that the public sessions are tenn
porarily at an end, it is important tC
know the principles and motives
which are guiding the different pow.
ers in the secret committee meetings
where after all the real conclusions
will be reached for, as Bernard Shaw
once said, principles are always easily
settled but it's the "details that cause
divorces"
Here is an outline of what the diff
ferent powers are aiming to do as
revealed inNprivate expressions OF
their delegates as we'll as in public
utterances:
First, Great Britain is sincerely try
Il ing to bring about reduction in the
cost of naval armament and is ready
to agree in entirety to the American
proposal about scrapping large bat
tleships but is sensitive about the fu-
ture development of the submarine
and airplane.
If the truth were told, there is a
good deal more fear of those two
weapons of warfare than naval ex-
perts like to admit. Scrapping of bat
tleships is not difficult if the submar-
inc and airplane are to be used
as instruments of offensive war.
AS the discussions proceed, these
two will grow in import
ance. They are the real "details" of
the naval proposals. The question OF
shipyards for replacement and repairs
will give little difficulty. AS yet moth
ing has been said publicly about the
Anglo-Japanese alliance but the Brit
ish delegation knows the American
view. Great Britain appears ready to
give up the Anglo-Japanese alliance
but will uA it as bargaining point
to gain from the United States either
an understanding about the funding
of war debts or concessions in respect
of naval matters. The probabilities
are that the British themselves have
not decided the point but they do
know the United States is eager to
have the alliance abrosated and with
characteristic diplomacy, the British
are waiting the opportune moment to
obtain some 'quid pro quo"
Second, Japan is rather eager for
reduction of naval armament but
like Great Britain she sees value in
the submarine. Japan's desire, how
ever, is to use the submarine and to
obtain permission to build cruising
submarine big enough to operate at
great distances from home.
This comedies with the wish OF
American naval experts, too, who be-
lieve the offensive submarine is val
liable arm for possible operations in
the Pacific. Great Britain has the hu-
manitarian argument, however, and
will emphasize it constantly and pro.
badly her view will prevail for it is
easy to get public opinion aroused
even to the point perhaps of abolish.
ing submarines altogether because Of
the fact that their only. practicable
use Is by inhumane raids on surface
craft. Japans real aim at this con.
ference is not naval armament which
seems easy to adjust but Far Eastern
affairs. This means China. Japan has
made it plain that she is willing tc
go along with the great powers IN
their desire to lift the tax burden but
that she wants a more or less free
hand in China. Baron Kato is repre-
sented as saying he hoped the United
States would not unduly interfere
lin China. That's the crux Of the whole
thing. Japan wants a free hand ID
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