The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-30
Time NOT RIPE
FOR TREATIES,
SAYS NlMONDS
French British Clash Has
Left Conference Para
lyzed, He Declares. 6
By FRANK H. SIMONDS.

Twenty-four hours after the crisis
precipitated by the French decision
in the matter of the submarine the
Washington conference remains
completely paralyzed by its effect.
Slowly but surely the fact becomes
patent that the American Capital.
supposedly the scene of a peace con-
ference, has been the field of an
other historic collision between the
two European rivals.
Locked at from the broader view
point the real problem raised by the
Washington conference was whether
the world. and the European world
in particular, had progressed far
enough from war conditions and
war psychology to make the work
of economic reconstruction possible.
The answer was written yesterday.
1t emphatically has not.
France and Great Britain came
here to fight for American indorse-
ment> for their European policies.
In the battle the British won.
QunrreIs Must Cease.
After yesterday every American
can perceive how things stand in
Europe. They can perceive that un-
til Great Britain and France can
compose their quarrels economic re-
construction is quite impossible.
We have been permitted to sit in
reserved seats at our own party and
see our guests fight. That is the
long and the short of it,
Now the situation moves to Eu-
rope. No one imagines that Great
Britain and France are on the
verge of war. But what is clear
beyond peradventure is that there
can be no economic restoration
in the world until France and
Great Britain are able to strike a
new bargain. They may do it a,
Cannes; they may do 1t at a later
economic conference in London or
in Paris; but until they do IL there
is not going to be real old-fash-
ioned peace in the world.
Meantime the question of the
hour is how completely the Wash
ington conference is going to be
wrecked. All depends upon Far
Eastern questions. A clear, definite
and comprehensive settlement here
might restore the situation, but un.
fortunately there is no present
promise of this. On the contrary
the news which comes alike from
Chinese and japanese sources Is
frankly void. The Japanese whis-
per that no more concession ON
Shantung is possible. The Chinese
reply that their representatives will
not sign the prospective nine-power
treaty as it stands OF as IL seems
likely now that II will ultimately
stand
Suggestion for Japan.
1t is suggested that Japan might
now win great American applause
by bowing to American public SEN
timent. But II is equally strongly
pointed out that the temptation to
follow the French example is trs-
mendov
Moreover. the Japanese are now
at work remaking the four-power
treaty. Everyone knows that Mr..
Balfour was responsible for the ex-
tension Of this treaty to cover the
Japanese homeland. Only Mr. Bal
four wanted it and he wanted It
to cover the pride of Australia
and New Zealand. both of which
wanted an American guarantee
against Japan-lf the Anglo-Jap-
anese alliace was to. me eliminated.
Mr. Shidehara, representing Ja-
pan. objected when the proposal
was made, asked for an adjournD
ment. finally consented the next
day. but always feared Japanese
public opinion would resent tho
obvious reflection upon Japanese
prestige included in a unilateral
guarantee. Now Japan wants the
treaty amended, the United States,
with the Senate fight coming up,
wants II amended. but there re-
mains the problem of Australia and
New Zealand. -
Treaty Must Ne Amended.
IL Japan goes. out. hows can New
Zealand and Australia be- retained.
accepting Mr.. Balfour.s original ar
gument that Dominion pride would
not permit that the Dominions re-
ceive more than Japan? But if
Australia and New Zealand go out,
Costiwued on Page Three.