Newark post., 1921-07-27
Plans Develop
for Conference of Nations
at Washington

at w oollA1iSIoA
When President Harding invited
England, France, Italy and Japan to
a conference on disarmament to be
held in the fall, no definite date was
set. The President suggests Novem-
ber II, Armistice Day, for the open
ing of the conference. The Premiers
of reat Britain, who are the Prime
Ministers of her dominions including
Canada, Australia, South Africa, and
India, are now in London comforting
with the English government about
the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. Some
of them have so far to travel that
they cannot go home and attend their
parliaments and reach Washington
by November 18th. Owing to this
difficulty President Harding is will
ing to have the conference early
enough for the Premiers to attend on
their way home, but does not feel that
the conference should be postponed
until spring, as some of the Premiers
have suggested, in order that they
might go home to attend to local af-
fairs before coming to Washington.
Included in the purposes of the
conference is a discussion - and
agreement if possible-upon the prin-
ciples and policies which shall govern
the nations regarding their mutual
interests in the Pacific and conditions
in the countries in the Far East.
China is invited to this part of the
conference. There are a number OF
unsettled questions in the field which
japanese newspapers and some Jap
anese statesmen do not wish to have
discussed by the allied powers at the
conference. When Japan asked to
know what the program of the con-
ference was before accepting her in
vtation to take part in the discussion
of the Pacific questions, it was easy
to interpret this as an unwillingness
on the part of the japanese govern
ment to cooperate in an open settle
ment of these questions which must
be disposed of before any practical
agreements on disarmament can be
reached. The administration at Wash.
ington, however, which is in constant
touch awith the Japanese attitude
through the ambassador, recognizes
that Japan has every right to ask
about the general program of the
conference and to refuse to discus!
any or all subjects proposed, but i:
convinced that Japan desires to share
in every means toward securing th'
peace of the world. That she will
finally accept the invitation to th'
conference in full is confidently ex
pected.
The United States is taking the at
titude that it is better not to def
nitely outline the subjects and char
acter of the conference in advance
but to let the conference decide as
progresses what limitations are to b
made. This will permit any natiol
to propose subjects of special interest
and to decline or agree to the ad
mission of subjects proposed by othe
nations. The Harding administra
tion has no objection, however, if tn
powers invited to the conference wis
to exchange views and arrive at
general agreement on the progral
{hn
There seems to be general belle
among the representatives of TT
League of Nations, now in session E
a temporary Commission for the r.
duction of Armaments, that Pres
dent Harding's proposed conferent
will in no way interfere with tt
Leagues work in this respect. TIL
Commission of which Rene Viviani {
France is the chairman, heartily we
comes the action taken by Americ
- and hopes to present the results of i
work and Investigations for the ben
fit of the Washington conference. Tl
Assembly of the League of Natiol
will meet in September, at which tin
the Commission on Disarmament
the League will make it's report.
The great Importance of the Co
ference called by this country
recognized by the smaller nation
Belgium, Holland and Portugal ha'
asked to have a voice in matters
interest to them, and President Har
ing has announced that they will ha'
an opportunity to be heard.
President Harding will not be
delegate to the conference. Sever
Senators are expected to be include
in the group which will represent tt
United States.