The Washington herald., 1921-11-30
SEES MOMENTOUS
EVENTS AT NEXT
PLENARY SESSION
British Editor Here Raps
Prophets of Failure
For Farley.
By WICKHAM STEED.

on limitation of ornaments viii be
held toward the end OF this week
or the beginning Of next. II 10
probable also that when IT IL held
IL will be not less momentous than
was the first sitting.
The course of international gath
erings is VIGOROUSLY difficult to
foretell. Even those who are most
favorably placed are apt to over
look contingencies that may retard
progress or upset any theory OF
probabilities. But, unless my tudg-
ment is at fault, the conference
will be well over its main diff
culties before many days are past,
and the prophets of evil will be
discounted.
1t is too early even to indicate
in any detail the character of the
agreements which the chairman
may shortly be in a position to an
nounce. One warning, however,
may be given:
Expects Japanese Agreement.
Vice Admiral Kanji Kato, the
chief japanese naval expert, who
should not be COMPOUNDED with Ad-
miral Baron Kato. the chief Japa-
nese delegate. has issued state
ment to the effect that Japan must
cent of American or British capital
ship-strength, since that is the
minimum required for her security.
As I reported yesterday, this Issue
has been taken out of the hands Of
the naval experts and entrusted to
statesmen. / do not know whether
the statesmen have already reached
a satisfactory agreement, but I
should be surprised were such
agreement to be indefinitely de-
layed
Upon other aspects of the naval
question substantial progress seems
to have been made. There is an
-undercurrent of confidence in this
respect among the principal dele
gates that cannot be entirely I'M
Justified. Confidence appears to be
sfelt in other respects also.
The representative of a promi-
nent American journal states on
Japanese authority that the Anglo
Japanese alliance is regarded as
fundamentally important both to
Great Britain and Japan. The SUBJ
ject of the alliance, he adds, has
not been brought up officially at
the conference. British, Japanese
and American delegates have dis
cussed it without reaching a de-
cision. Great Britain. he continues,
is understood Ito be more concerned
than Japan for renewal of the al
lance. japanese representatives
assert that they have no fear of
trouble with the United States,
while Great Britain may need the
help of the Japanese army and
navy in the Orient, and particu-
larry in India.
DepIOres "Propaganda.-
-. If any Japanese representative
has talked in this fashion, he has
talked sad fudge. Propaganda of
this kind is reprehensible. II is
too early to indicate the nature
of the exchanges of view that have
undoubtedly taken place at Wash
ington in regard to the Anglo
Japanese alliance. but it would
cause no establishment in well-in-
formed quarters should it ulti.
mately transpire that the question
has been faced and settled in an
eminently reasonable way.
Z said recently that the Ameri-
. can team harnessed to the confer
ence is particularly strong and
lusty, and that II is willing and
able to pull together and to pull
the conference through miry
places. Under the direction of
President Harding. the work of
Messrs- Hughes, Root, Lodge and
Underwood has been admirable. A
similar need Of recognition is due
to the British delegation.
When it is considered that Mr.
Balfour, Sir Auckland Geddes, Lord
Lee, Sir Robert Borden. Senator
Pearce, Sir John Salmond and Mr.
Sastri had never before worked as
a team, and that some Of them were
not even personally acquainted
when the conference began, the
manner in which they have adopt
ed a common standpoint and have
concentrated their efforts upon the
attainment of the main purposes Of
the conference is highly creditable.
They meet daily at the British En-
bassy. and behave as a band OF
brothers.
British Aid Invaluable.
If. in the nature of things, it is
not the business of the British dele
gates to haul the conference along,
IL is and has been, their business
to remove bOulders from the road
and to grease the wheels. This
amid general goodwill. Doubtless,
Mr.. Balfour's geniality and real
passion for the peace OF the world
have inspired his fellow delegates
The British Ambassadors knowi-
edge of local conditions. and the
sincerity Of his devotion to the pur-
poses of the conference that has
gained him general confidence. have
also been invaluable. The influence
OF Sir Robert Borden, whose strong
Canadian patriotism detracts in no
wise from his instructive compre-
hension of the American standpoint,
has likewise been of the utmost
service. But when all is said and
done. the credit for whatever may
be accomplished by the British
delegation. in seconding the ex-
allied initiative of the American
cation as a whole.
Nor should a word of praise be
withheld from the French delegates.
When allowance has been made for
the difficulties of Frenchmen in COM
prehending American conditions and
modes of thought. it is undeniable
that as soon as the French delega-
ton found their bearings and real
lied the misleading effect of sundry
erroneous notions with which they
had been piled. they entered into the
spirit of the conference and became
truly helpful.
The interview between NJ. BRAND,
Mr.. Balfour and Sir Auckland Geddes