The New York herald., 1921-11-16
CAND0R INSTALLED
AS PARLEY'S SPIRIT
New American Diplomacy as
Seen in Conference Is AS
surance of Success.
BY A. MAURICE LOW.


Correspondent Of the London Morning
Post.
Special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c., Nov. IL.
Frankness has been met with frank
ness, which is evidently to be the guild
ing principle of the arms conference. At
the public session this morning Mr.. Bal
four on behalf of the British Govern
ment and Admiral Kato as the repre-
sentative of the Japanese Government
announced their acceptance in principle
of the American proposals for the re-
duCtion of naval armament.
1t was known they would make this
announcement to-day. 1t was further
known that the British considered that
the Americans had been overGenerous in
their allotment of 10000 tons of sub
marines to Great Britain, and that the
British were more inclined to favor a
reduction of underwater craft than to
see an increase
This Mr.. Balfour frankly told the con-
ference. At the close Of the war Britain
had less than 10000 tons OF submarines,
and while he recognized that the sub
marine was the weapon of defence of the
weaker nations larger submarines would
enable them to be used for attack and
not purely for defence and in ways that
could not be justified. Baron Kato SINH
larly thought naval bases ought TO be
taken into consideration.
To the diplomats sitting about the
table this candor was astonishing. II
has not been the method of diplomacy OF
the past, but since Saturday nothing
~. tl. 1fr,1p
From now on, of course, there will be
fewer public sessions. and the work will
be done in private in committee, but as
a. veteran American journalist remarked
to me:
"More has been done in Washington in
seventy-two hours than in Paris in sew
enty-two days We now know where we
are"
The remark. I think, is true A start
has been made in the sight Of The public.
Reduction of armament Is no longer
yelled In mystery and no one need waste
time in idle discussion of proposed
schemes Both Mr.. Balfour ana Ad-
miral Kato said without circumlocution
there were details to be worked out.
Regarding these details It may be
honestly admitted there are differences
of opinion. but they offer no obstacle to
q agreement A sentence in Mr.. Balfour's 9
speech and a passage in the address OF
Mr. BRAND, who also broadly accepted
the American proposals, are causing
comment. Mr.. Balfour. after explaining
the special needs of the British Empire
and its reliance upon naval protection.
said: 1--WE are strong, 1 hope. in the
ardent patriotism which binds US all to-
gether."
some people read into this an answer
a. w
that no matter how desirous England
nay be to renew the Anglo-Japanese
alliance she Will not be permitted To do
so by Canada and Australia. Did Mr..
BaIfour delicately intimate to his au-
dience that the British Empire now. as
In the past, is one. and on questions of
policy It will not be Influenced by sep
arate considerations? Was that the
thought in Mr.. Balfour's mind, or is II
reading a meaning into his words which
was foreign to his intention? But that
Interpretation Is accepted by some per-
sons here to-day.
1t was noticeable to-day as It was on
Saturday that every reference of the
desire of the other Powers to reduce
navies to the lowest limit consistent
with national security was enthus-
iastically applauded by the occupants Of
the galleries. Mr.. Balfour. who was in
excellent form. made, as he always does,
a profound impression upon his audience
who delight In listening to his oratory so
so different from their own, and he sur
prised them by delivering and not read
ing his speech.
Unlike the custom OF the House of
Commons. where the speech read from
manuscript carefully prepared in ad-
vance Is unknown. In Congress and
other Legislative bodies in this country
1t Is rare that a speech Is delivered, but
Il Is practically the invariable rule to
read speeches and that practice is OBJ
served by the President and other i'm
portant officials on set occasions. That
man should be able to speak for thirty
five minutes with only a few notes on a
small piece of paper as an aid 70
memory amazed his auditors. whose adj
miration was great and generously ex-
pressed.