The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-15
READY ID
 JOIN CONFERENCE
 ON DISARMAMENT
WitHhoIds Assent, HoWeveT' to Unrestricted Discussion of ar Eastern Question,
 Urged By Harding
By Arsoclate, Press

Washington July 14-Japan is ready to enter the disarmament con ference, but withholds assent to an unrestricted discussion Of far east ern questions as a part of it.
 The viewpoint of the American government is that solution of the far eastern questions is a necessary accompanyment to any disarmament programme.
 Thus develops the first hitch--lf a hitch it turns out to be-in Presi- dent Hardng's plan to remove the causes for heavy armaments and then reduce the armaments themselves.
 American officials. however, are optimistic that a way will be found for a satisfactory conference to which Japan will be party and for programme of armament reduction acceptable to all.
 Text Is Withheld
 The Japanese reply to the prelim- mary question of whether she would '~Nt'ft eH 1iNltdtloH lO SUCH d COD- ference came to the state depart mcnt today through the American embassy at Tokio. It's text was not made public. and department officials declined. to reveal it's content, except to say that it expressed approval of the Pacific problems. During the day, however, it became known tha. the attitude of the Japanese govern ment was known to the government here.
 This attitude is that the disarma- ment question is a vast one in it. self, and that if other questions are introduced into the field of discus sion the conference may be so broad ened as to endanger it's success Japanese officials are said to feel this to be particularly true. if the ques- tions so introduced are to affect the delicate balance of diplomatic re- lations 1n the orient There is mani- fest in Tokio, belief that such . debate might open a Pandoras box of troublesome diplomatic intricacies. which would set for Mir. Hardings g conference a task of readjustment even greater than that attempted by the peace conference of Versailles.
 The alternative in the belief of Japanese statesmen, would be to agree beforehand on exactly on what questions will form the subject mat ter of the discussions.
 American Opinion Differs
 To this is opposed the opinion or American officials that if all the nn- tions first agree to come into the conference, whatever Limitations ap- peared advisable can be fixed by general aAsent afterward
 Just what will be the next step Of the President and his advisers did not appear tonight. China. having ae- cepted the invitation unconditionaliy during the day, however. all of the invited powers were on record as agreeing at least to discuss disarma- ment, and it was the apparent pur- pose of the state department to re- gard the assembling of the meeting as assured, and to proceed in du- course to issue notes of invitation in more formal character
 Two courses are open in attempting to bring Japan into full participa~ ton The state department may again present the case to her informally. and ask that she consider once more the return of an unqualified accent anee On the other hand this govern ment may go forward with it's plan of sending out formal invitations in the hope that the officials at Tokio will decide they can obtain satts-
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