Evening star., 1921-11-14
World Must Follo,v u. S. Lead,
Opinion of American Press
Vie.v Generally Held That People of Nations Will De
n,and That Governments Accept Hushe' NaUal Pro-
posal-Hope Held That Conference Will Succeed.

Following delivery OF Secretary
nee. the Star wired leading Amer
can newspapers asking that they
elegraph the essence Of their edi-
orial comment. The responses, In
Lddition to those printed Sunday, are
Is follows:
HARTFORD CoURANT.
Secretary of State Hughes has
presented to the great nations Of
the world q workable plan for
naval disarmament at once SO SIM
pie and direct that 1t Is difficult to
see how the governments repre-
sented at the congress can fail to
ratify at least its major proposals.
1t Ia drastic, but 1t Is workable.
and II will accomplish the results
required. with a gesture Of mag
n!fcent sincerity he showed mat
the United States was prepared 10
lead the way and was ready 70
make the greatest sacrifice. II ls
impossible to believe the CONFER.
ence, even should 1t desire. would
dare reject the proposal.
DETROIT FREE PRESS.
IF we'll begun is half done. then
the world has the right to hope
for great things from the Wash
ington conference. President Har-
ding struck an exalted but em-
phatically practical keynote. when
he uttered the phrase "in all sym,
pathy, in all honesty and IN all
honor" while Mr.. Hughes. aston.
ishing even the most expectant
Nj n rYnlk.
ers, gave the start OF puncn tnat
is new in world statesmanship.
we hear much of using diplo-
macy In business. The American
Secretary OF State has put business
in d'plomayc.
Briefly, Mr.. Hughes presented the
thereon that the way to STOP OPP
pressive naval armament building
is to quit talking and arguing ana
stop.
INDIANAPOLIS STAR.
The proposal made by Secretary
Hughes at the first session OF the
conference gets the whole subject
of limitation of armament OUT IN
the open and disposes OF the rear
that the delegates might Qu'onIe
and spar in secret without reacn-
ing a satisfactory conclusion; sec
retary Hughes has placed our
cards on the table. He presents
concrete program for relief from
the crushing burden OF naval
armament. We are willing to lead
the way and our offer has gone
to the people of the world. Those
at the conference will not care 70
60 back to their countrymen with
empty hands, in view @ OF the .. pos
statement.
The public. Of course, can only
guess at what has been going on
behind the scenes. Mr.. Hughes
abatement Of our program for dis
Armament Is described az a bomb
conference table. That Is possible.
complete surprise to all around the
macy; II is credited with being
shell in the cellar OF secret diplo-
but does not seem likely. the more
reasonable supposition ans. ~ sna.
those who came to the conference
have participated In preliminary
diplomatic conversations concern
ing what we hope might be at
tained by the gathering. Ihey
may not have had all the details
Of his proposal, but probably were
prepared for tho substance OF what
he outlined.
PITTSBURGH POST.
whether the United States Is to.
day in a position Of yielding to
world sentiment for limitation OF
armament or of.leading 1t. matters
little from the practical stand
point. 1t can regain its lost lead
ership for world peace only to the
extent that 1t returns to the spirit
OF corporation and furnishes a
practical plan for procedure FOR
any OF the existing devices 1t may
prove impracticable.
With the United States again IN
a position of cooperating with
a.her nations, after a lapse through
craftsmanship following the armi-
sfice. the world may well rejoice.
whether the naval holiday pro-
posal Of Mr.. Hughes goes as far
an some expected or not. 1t is q
step in the right direction and
taken with q directness and force
that are impressive.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE.
Secretary of State Hughes for the
United states at the opening Of
the washington conference made
a. detailed and specific proposal
for the reduction OF navies ana
the suspension Of navy building.
Upon this proposal 1t Is wise to
suspend judgment. American are
felicitating themselves already
that American downright honesty
and directness of purpose has
dished up cold turkey when Eu-
ropean diplomacy was prepared.
only for q rhetorical appetizer.
We seem thus to have swept the
old world of its feet.
European and Asiatic diplomacy
generally overreachea ours. If
we start in our shitr sleeves we
may end in a barrel. America may
be candid and Europe devious, but
from that 1t does not follow that
the United States will be safe
and Europe and Asia peaceful. We
are thoroughly convinced as to
the soundness Of the principle and
now consider only that enthusiasm
for q principle may, as 1t has In
the past, commit the American
people to details which did not ad-
vance their ideas and purposea
CLEVELAND PLAIN-DEALER.
The world war was the object
lesson that was needed to give
force to such contentious as those
toy, H. =.