The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-11-16
HUGHES HOLDS
HIS CONTROL
OF SITUATION
Has Power to Call Open Ses-
sion Whenever He Desires
Though Experts, Diplomats
Have Inning.
FRANCE APPREHENSIVE
ny MARK SULLIVAN

perts. so called nave got things back
into their hands.
At the meeting of the committee
which determines procedure Hughes
argued for a degree of publicity which
would make practically everything al
most as open as was the performance
OF Saturday. Many of the others
argued for complete secrecy.
In the end there was a compromise,
which gives the naval experts and the
diplomats an opportunity to do as
much as they can in secret, but which
nevertheless leaves Hughes largely in
control of the situation. Hughes has
1t in his power now to call an open
session whenever he is disposed to.
In their secret sessions the diplo-
mats and the naval experts can do
something, but not too much. The
commitment of Great Britain and ia
pan to the Hughes plan is far from
complete. but ii goes so that they can
never completely recede from it.
So far as that is concerned, public
opinion in their own countries will
not let them
Needs Clarifcation
In fairness it should be said that
there is much about the Hughes plan
which calls for Qualification and for
the working out of details in a pro-
Longed session of experts. The Hughes
plan dealt only in broad outlines and
many details must be the subject of
conference.
For example, Japan wants to know
about naval bases in the far east A
.leet which would be sufficient for
Japan if the navies of Great Britain
and the United States are always at
least 5000 miles away would not be
sufficient il the United States should
nave a naval base in the PHILIPPINES
and if Great Britain should have one
at Hongkong or elsewhere in the far
east.
Great Britain wants to discuss some
notifications of the Hughes plan as
II affects submarines. This is all
proper enough. In the end it will be
recognized that it doesn't amount to
much. The principle of the Hughes
plan, as he stated again and again is
Naval defensive" war must be made
impossible. Nothing that the naval
experts or the diplomats can do will
be allowed TO violate this fundamental
principles. As soon as they recognize
This they will be less insistent upon
details.
Hughes Has Power
If they should attempt anything de-
signed seriously to cripple Hughes
plan. Hughes always has ii in his
power to call another public session
and repeat his sensation of last SatUr-
day Indeed it. would be more of a
sensation if Hughes should call a pub
tic session and reveal that anybody is
D. H. ~, L.
can safely try that
It is not to be denied that the inter
csts both here and abroad which do
rot like the Hughes program are very
busy. Today is probably the maxi
mum of their activity and is likely to
mark the maximum of their hopes
All the events of yesterday and today
reflect the undercurrent of disturb
ance over the Hughes plan.
1t is as clear as anything can be
that France has become apprehensive.
She thinks England is going to say
hat if she reduces her naval arma-
ment to the Hughes basis, then
France, 26 miles across the channel,
must reduce her land equipment in
Guiding the number of her soldiers
70 such point that France won't be
menace 10 England on the new naval
Lasis.
France Apprenticeship
France wants 10 hold out against
this until she gets from Great Britain
Ind the United States a definite prom
iSe to come to her aid in time of
need. France sees things going
against her The French delegates
can foresee that if the atmosphere of
Saturday should keep up there will be
little tolerance for any attempt on her
part to try 10 make the conference Il
trading matter. and to hold off from
being as generous As the three naval
powers will be if they adopt the pro-
gram
There was n decided atmosphere of
apprehensive turbulence in Brands
speech on Tuesday, and one who fol-
lowed the episode closely could read
lily get the impression that Hughes
had taken notice of it.
BalfOur on the part of Great Brit
ain, went as far towards complete as
sent to the Hughes plan as he could
90 with the limitations on his authori-
". He is not independent but must
do what the cables from London tell
him to do. Great Britain came to the
conference with the idea that she
would make reduction on naval arma-
ment contingent upon previous arriv-
al at an agreement on the far east
and probably still hopes for that.
All these and others are the things
that will be thrown into the pot in
the secret sessions of the coming few
days. But Hughes has established
himself in the world in such way and
has established his relation to the con-
ference in such a way that he has this,
dominant hand. At any moment it is
within his power to tell objectors thai
they must repeat their objections to
the world, and to call a public session
for that purpose.
Copyright 1921 by the New York
Evening Post, Incl
SETTLE TRANSFERS STRIKE
(By Associated Press)