The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-07-29
WITH
JAPAN'S ATTITUDE.
Secretary Hughes RecOg-
nizes No Reservation in
Acceptance
EJAPS' ACT CUTIE.
LIKE AMERICANS
This Country Would Not Allow Discus
sion of Monroe Doctrine at Disarma-
ment Observation-Disclosures OF Meet
ing an Important Step


Copyright 1921
WASHINGTON, July 29.-The |
United States government is proceeding
on the assumption that all the powers
Including Japan will approach the sub
ject of program for the" disarmament
conference with a desire to get results
and not to use the meeting as a vehicle
for an interminable discussion of inter
national problems.
Japan'S acceptance of Americas invi-
tation creates in Washington most ia
vorable effect. 1t is true there are some
phrases in the Japanese reply which APP
pear to be qualification, but the inn
portant fact to bear in mind is that Sec
Rotary Hughes doesn't regard it as a
qualified acceptance. When Japan said
such problems should be omitted from the
discussion which are of sole concern toI
certain particularly powers" and that
matters be excluded which may be re-
garded accomplished facts" il was pos
Sible to construe her words as a sort of
warning against too much optimism CON
corning her attitude but Mr.. Hughes,
who is a distinguished lawyer, doesn't
have that impression and looks upon the
japanese statement as Il legal ''caveat ;
something which the United States or
any other power would feel free to ex-
press before entering any conference.
The japanese are cautious and do not
want TO seem to be agreeing to a reopen
ing of all Far Eastern questions. 1t Is
an important thing that they agree to
discuss Far Eastern questions at all for
the Japanese have always shown a re-
luctance to throw all their problems into
the hopper for discussion by outside
powers. If America were asked to sub
nit TO any questions affecting Central
or South America, there would surely be
opposition. When the Monroe Doctrine
was mentioned in connection with the
league of nations. American senators IN
sisted that not only must the doctrine be
omitted from the scope of the covenant
but no question must ever be permitted
! doctrine in any way.
Grateful to Japan
| In view of this history, the official feel
! ing here is one of gratitude to Japan for
taking SO broad a view of the problems
| of the world and being willing in the
| first place to discuss Far Eastern ques-
lions i'm a special international confer
Fence and secondly, placing only a slight
| limitation on the character of the sub
| jectS to be discussed.
| The phrase problems of sole concern
| to certain powers" is construed here to
mean that Japan may feel IL wise to urge
| the commission of the immigration ques-
tion if it comes up for she believes she
can adjust it much more easily by direct
negotiation between herself and the pow
ers concerned than through a general
parley The United States government
might be disposed to take a similar view.
May Reopen Zap Dispute E
OF course, if Japan insisted that the
Zap question was an accomplished
| fact" the United States would point out
that France and Italy have conquered
| in the American viewpoint namely that
| the zap mandate was not legally be-
slowed on Japan and should be reconsid-
| cred. If Il discussion should enSue as to
whether zap should be included in the
| program of the conference. it might cas-
lily happen that the program would not
Il be fully decided upon until the confer
1 ence actually began, in which case the
4 same result would be achieved when the
4 delegates reached here. For in trying to
determine whether the zap question
/ should be regarded as an accomplished
i fact" the merits of the whole question
would have to be discussed anew.
4 So the japanese qualifications at this
i time cannot be considered as raising any
more of an obstacle to future agreement
than would naturally be there when the
Il Japanese viewpoint was expressed at the
/ conference itself. 1t is not expected that
j harmonious agreement will be achieved
at once, but only after a full and frank
Interchange of views between the dele
i gates.
i Agenda May Come Later
i Secretary Hughes will cross that
bridge when he comes to it. For the pres
ent, it is vital that all the powers have
81 agreed to enter the conference and
81 whether they are able to. agree upon the
or Nv ooh 10 IN n1y
!: of the conference or whether they will
find it necessary to finish preparing the
II agenda when the delegates actually get
/: here is only of secondary Importance
!: These who are familiar with the long dis
!: cussions that usually precede the calling
!: of international conferences will bear ties
!: timony to the fact that the DISARMAMENT
/: conference has been arranged in remark
a ably short time and that Secretary
!: Hughes has won big victory by skill
!: fully insisting upon acceptance of the in.
|: yitation on the basis of the tive main
!: principles-the limitation of ornaments
3 and the discussion of Pacific and Fan
!: Eastern questions
!: Now that all the powers are commit
!: ted to a discussion of those principles
!: the detailed views of each power, vii
: come along in the natural course but
{: these views, no matter how uncompro
!: missing at this time, can hardly prevent
!: the actual gathering of the delegates
= And great deal more can be expected
!: from personal conference as compared
/: with correspondence by cable and dip
!: lomatic notes. The first step in tn. dis
~ armament movement has been taken an6
!: Ito say that President Harding and Secre
!: tary Hughes are happy is TO put i
!: mildly.
!: NEITHER CHARGE STANDS.