New-York tribune., 1921-11-28
Reservation of Passage
on Aquitania Is Said To
Be Due to Interest in
Proposal of President
Britain Anxious to
Have Germany In
Premier Also Expected TO
Help Solve Anglo-Jap-
anese Treaty Problems
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27.-Lloyd
George is anxious to talk to Presi-
dent Harding and Secretary of State
Hughes about the proposed Harding
association of nations, according to
very we'll informed opinion here
This is the explanation advanced for
his sudden ordering Of accommoda-
tions on the Aquitania, after it had
been understood for several weeks
that he had abandoned his original
plan of visiting Washington
Directly in connection with this,
the view expressed at the White
House that Germany might be asked
to come in toward the close of the
present Conference for the Limita-
tion of Armament is understood to
have had considerable to do with
bringing Lloyd George to America
There is no Disgusting the fact that
the British have been anxious to do
SoHlCCillllS Vic Ntlild SltQd~
tion that would get Germany back on
a basis where it would be possible to
trade with her again and at the same
time get the French to reduce their
army, with a general view of restor-
ing something akin to normalcy in
Europe.
British Deeply Interested
The calling of Germany to the con-
ference, and. therefore, probably into
the Harding association of nations,
is of tremendous interest to the Brit
ish, who have been at least mildly in
favor of having Germany in the
present League of Nations.
There is another important task in
Washington besides going over the idea
Of new association of nations. which
Lloyd George-according to we'll in
formed opinion-would like to attempt.
That is the working out of some sats-
factory arrangement with regard to this
countrys objections to the Anglo-Jap-
anese alliance.
The Harding Administration Is and
has been tremendously anxious 20 have
this treaty terminated some way
that would be agreeable to every one
concerned, if possible, but. in any event,
ended. The idea of the heads of this
government has been that the existence
of this treaty, entirely aside from the
possible threat to the United States
which some profess to fear SO much, has
been a constant encouragement to Japan
to go further than she mygnt otherwise
have gone along lines which this gov
ernment opposes. 1t also is pointed out
that the existence of the alliance makes
it much more difficult for Great Britain
to protest against such steps by Japan,
even when the British government may
wholeheartedly agree with the attitude
of the United States on any particular
move.
Onus Put on America
Thus the United States is constantly
being forced into the position Of being
the only nation which registers any
protest to the Japanese government,
and this recurrence again and again OF
American opposition to what the Japa-
nese regard as their rightful and nat
ural expansion into great empire has
gradually built up feeling throughout
Japan that the limited States is the
only nation which desires to curb their
aspirations, and is really the only
enemy they have among the great
powers.
This position has been felt keenly
by the Harding Administration, and for
this reason there has been great deal
of intimation-to put it in the mildess
diplomatic formto the British repre-
sentatives here that this country would
like to see this alliance terminated
All of the British--even including.
the representatives from the overseas
dominions, who. it had been thought
here, judging from public statements
made by the premiers of these domin-
ions in the period preceding the inn
periaf conference at London, would DO
in sympathy with this desire--have ap-
parently one answer to the American
intimations.
Recur to Triple Alliance
This formula is that of course the
British cannot throw down their friend
Japan now that the British no longer
need Japan for anything, after accept
ing her services under the alliance
during the war. But, they hasten to
add, all of them are eager to have an
understanding with the United States
They would like to include this coun-
try in the treaty. and make it triple
alliance, but they understand the
American objections to the word al
lance. Therefore they would be con-
tent to have tripartite agreement CIR
understanding among the three coun-
tries, which would entirely obviate any
objections which the United States has
against the Angio-Japanese alliance.
1t might be that after the establish
ment of such tripartite agreement
Japan and Great Britain might permit
the Anglo-Japanese treaty to lapse, but
the British representatives here shrink
from the word "abrogate" as though il
implied an act OF open and obvious
treachery.
The Harding association of nations
idea has been eagerly .grasped at by
some as one of the possible ways out
of the difficulty Indeed the whole
Harding plan is bitterly attacked in a
statement in another column Tonight
by Senator Borah, one of his grounds