The Washington herald., 1921-07-27
OPEN NCONFERENCE
IS FROWNED UPON
BY GREAT POWERS
Borah Chief Advocate of
Publicity in Disarma-
ment Meet.
By ROBERT J. BENDER

An open or a closed disarmament
conference.-the question is begin
ming TO bestir itself
While three and a half months are
yet to eIapse before the inter
national conclave is due to assem-
BILE in Washington. this much may
be set down as certain: Unless there
is a strong and sustained public de-
mand for an open conference, IL will
be as tightly closed as were the
peace deliberations at Paris.
1t is the opinion today Of admin
istration leaders here, qualified to
speak with knowledge on the point
that an open conference is impos-
sible. France, Italy and Japan may
be expected-as their representa-
tives did at the Paris peace meet
to insist that the negotiations be
star-chamber affairs. The manner
in which the negotiators met at
Paris finally was largely the result
OF British suggestions for a COM
promise on the question. Britain
can be expected to go no further at
the forthcoming conference IN
Washington. and, because Of the ex-
traordinarily delicate diplomatic
subjects involved, she could hardly
he aNnarfad 70
Borah for Open Doors.
Cognizant of the situation exist
ing today. Senator Borah, one Of
the original advocates Of open COW
enants openly arrived at" has begun
his effort TO k~ep the doors from
closing on the great concIave. Re
calling the attacks, counterattacks
and general confusion resulting
from unsatisfactory settlements m
the Versailles pact, Borah believes
the Washington conference should
be wide open, so that. IL IL should
fail, the world would know exactly
where to place the blame.
As opposed to this view, admin
istration leaders point to the ex-
treme delicacy Of the issues at
stake, and the proximity of Con-
gress-which will be in session
most, IL not all of the time the con-
ference Is under way-which prox-
unity would assure long and fire.
quently embarrassing congressional
discussion of problems on the way
toward a solution. They add that.
in the adjustments 1t is hoped will
come out of the conference, the
ways of diplomacy are frequently
not direct and il would be extreme
ly unwise 70 have an unfinished
diplomatic task applauded or CEN
sured by the press of one or the
other of the interested countries he
fore a final and perhaps mutually
satisfactory solution had been effect
ed.
For Free Discussion.
Finally, it is the hope OF this
government that the conference.
throughout, will permit the free
opportunity to discuss all contro-
versial matters now a source of
international friction and obstruc-
tions to armament limitation. 1t
would be impossible, IL is claimed,
to have all conferences open, be-
cause each time a controversial sub
ject were approached the press and
statesmen OF the world would
promptly open up heated discus
sions and hamper the possibility Of
a settlement.
So, It would appear Inevitable
that the conference, when held,
will be conducted much as the pre-
liminary negotiations have been
conducted and as the Paris confer
ence finally was carried on. Ne
gotiations will be conducted behind
closed doors and the decisions reach
ed will be formally announced after
they are made.