New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-13
Third Anniversary of End
of Actual Warfare Fa-
vored by Both Harding
and Secretary Hughes
France and Italy
Officially Accept
New World Association
Not Specifically Aimed
At, but May Develops

From The Tribune's Washington Bureax
WASHINGTON, July II. - The
conference on disarmament, which
President Harding will cause to as
semble, probably will meet in Wash
ington on Armistice Day, November
II, 1921. Thus, exactly three years
from the date when the last gun was
fired on the Franco-German from
tiers, an international gathering will
be opened which in its ultimate eff
fects may mean, if not the end of
great wars, at least lessening Of the
probabilities of war and reduction Of
the present vast burdens for main
tcnance of naval and military forces.
Formal acceptance was received from
France to-day, this being the first
formal acceptance received. Favorable
formal acceptance received. Press dis
patches said that Italy also had accept
ed. Favorable responses have been re-
ceived to the suggestions of a confer
ciiSe 4iobi ali VI lhS poNeAo "HiSh dic
expected to be parties to the assem-
blage but one
Officials would not say what nation
this was and deprecated discussion Of
it. 1t was generally understood to be !,
Japan. However, no doubt is enter
tanned either at the White House or
at the State Department that Japan
will accept.
Date Named Pleases Harding
The date for the beginning of the
conference has not been officially de-
clared or announced. But it became
known day in highest Administration
quarters that if Armistice Day is
chosen for the opening of the meeting
of representatives of the different ma
tions concerned it will be extremely
agreeable to President Harding and
Secretary Hughes. 1t Is believed this
date has been suggested to the powers
When the conference was first an
nounced there was some talk that it
would begin in September or October.
1t is now seen, however that it would
hardly be practical to have it begin
that early. It will take time to com
plete the arrangements up 10 the point
where the formal call for the confer
ence can be issued, the formal accent
ances received, and the representatives
of the different nations appointed. At
ter that it will take weeks for the vari-
Gus foreign Offices to give their repre-
sentatives the necessary instructions.
So far as the representatives from
Japan and China are concerned it will
require about month for them to
reach Washington. Under the circum-
stances, several months is not too much
time for the preliminaries and for the
gathering of the DELEGATES here
All Acceptances Assured
Further developments to-day served
to make it clear that this government
has no question whatever that all the
nations which it has sought to include
in the conference will accept.
Sending out of the formal invitation
for the conference will, of course.
await the arrival of responses to the
preliminary inquiries from all of the
Allied and associated powers which it
is hoped will be represented at the
conclave.
The Administration has received
from many quarters, through the press,
by letter and by telegram, strong as
surances of approval of its course in
determining on a disarmament con-
ference These have been extremely
pleasing to the President. Moreover,
the more the President and Secretary
Hughes, with their advisers, have gone
into the possibilities of the thing, the
more they are impressed with the al
most unlimited scope of those pos
sibilities
For instance, it was noted to-day by
high Administration officials that this
country's future course and policy to-
ward the Philippines are linked up close
" with the outcome OF the disarma-
ment conference and the settlement of
the problems between this nation and
Japan in the Pacific theater of the
world.
Association Not Main Purpose
The views of President Harding with
respect to whether the conference on
disarmament is to be the foundation
for the much talked of association Of
nations became known to-day. The
President has not called the confer
ence with that purpose in mind. He is
not blind TO the fact. however, that
when the representatives of the powers
get together their discussions may
range into a wider field than that of
disarmament alone. He regards it as
possible that some form of associa-
ticn of nations may grow out of the
meeting, but, while he would be graft
fed at this, it is not his main purpose.
He is seeking primarily to make a long
start in the direction of disarmament.
The disarmament conference will in
no way interfere with the plans to
bring about a peace treaty with Ger
many. The purpose of the Admins
tration is to go ahead toward the con-
summation OF this object without halt
ing for the outcome of disarmament.
Informally, there was more talk in
Senate circles on the question whether
the conference would relate TO both
naval and land disarmament. In con-
nection with land disarmament discus
sion, it is said France would be agree
able if assured her frontiers would be
protected.
Senate Blocks Army Angie
II France insists on this, as IL ia as
sumed she will, it is thought here land
disarmament may not result n an
agreement so far as the United States
is concerned, because there would be
Senate opposition to ratifying anv
agreement involving the protection of
the boundaries of any of the nations Of
| Europe Under the circumstances. ther~