The Washington herald., 1921-11-11
BARCAIS COUNTER
PARLEY METHODS
WILL NOT SUFFICE
Rites for Unknown Re
mind Delegates of Their
Solemn Duties
by H. wIcKHAM sTEED.
Editor Of the London Times.

ne Opening sitting Of the confer
encs TOMORROW. Today will be de-
voted to the unknown warrior
cerernony at Arlington Cemetery.
In Impressive quality 1t will yield
nothing to the ceremonies at Paris
aud. Westminster. It Is fitting
thatS the opening OF a conference
whose object Is to preclude war In
the Pacific should be preceded i'm
mediately by a solemnity reminis-
cent of the struggle which many
who gave their lives to assure the
triumph of the allied cause de-
voueiy believed would be a war to
end war.
In any case. the shadow of the
great. war and the imperfections
OF ,the Versailles treaty would
have. lain across the washington
conference. Today's ceremony
shopld ensure that the high ideals
snd,-aspirations that animated the
allied and associated peoples will
be revived in the minds Of the dele
Gates and of the AAaerican nation.
and Will serve at once to remind
them Of the potency of sane ideal
Ism and OF the danger Of allowing
the interests OF Individual states TO
take precedence of the common hu-
man cause.
Lesson OF Great War.
The outstanding lesson of the
great war, when viewed in trans
Atlantic perspective. is the dIsas-
trous failure Of the attempt to Sc
cure through military preparation
and preponderance of armed
~
peoples. 1t showed that no degree
OF warlike efficiency, no nicely of
strategic calculation. can give GER
tainty Of success. and that instincts
OF self-preservatlon may range in
vincibly against the aEEressors
forces. resolved to defend at all
costs the freedom of mankind.
Another lesson hardly less Apo
site may be learned at the grave
side at Arlington. The success of
the conference may depend In the
last resort upon the feelings OF
trust and mutual comprehension
between the English-speaking peo-
piles. Representatives OF France,
Italy and Belgium will also do
honor to Americas anonymous
symbolic hero. This fact should
stimulate remembrance that on the
first occasion when the English
speaking peoples stood together in
arms for a common purpose il was
in France, Flanders and Belgium,
and that those blood-stained re-
Eion6 will forever be the shrine Of
English speaking concord. Not by
bargaining or the pursuit OF sep
arate advantage was that miracu-
lous result achieved. Nor will It
he by bargaining. or by attempts to
adjust one nations proht to the
gains Of other nations. tho. the
great business OF the Was ton
conference will be done
This truth. 1 believe, has already
permeated the minds OF the prin-
cipal European delegations. Italy
understands il, and despite some
superficial appearances to the con-
tTary. France understands II also.
1t will animate the British delega-
tion under Mr.. Balfour's leadership.
while the delegates OF the United
States will feel their task immensely
liChtened when they find their for
eign colleagues ready to meet them
in spirit of sane disinterestedness
Must Decide Political Issues.
of the attitude of the Japanese
definitely known. Admiral Baron
katO stated Wednesday that. given
an equal willingness on the part of
the other powers. Japan would be
prepared to reduce her battIeships
and battle-cruiser construction pro-
gram. But,as have before insisted.
suggestions of this kind possess lit
tie practical value until the politi-
cal issues have been decided. The
test of the Japanese position will
come when the future of China Is
under consideration. Here Japan
can, il she will. really help. From
the Chinese delegation itself little
practical help. and possibly some
obstruction, is to be expected
Nobody knows what the Chinese
delegation really represents. Half
of II at least Is stated to be sus-
ceptible to Japanese influence.
Other sections may resist the appli-
cation OF any constructive policy to
China The perfect English in which
the Chinese pleas will probably be
advanced will not necessarily indi-
cate the perfect lucidity OF Chinese
ideas. But these difficulties will
yield to firm. fair treatment IL the
other delegations. including the
Japanese. are honestly resolved to
save China from herself and make
her again a positive and calculable
factor in a general Far Eastern and
Pacific settlement.
Sees Value of Publicity.
The strong interest of the Ameri-
can public in the conference was
again indicated Wednesday by the
adoption in the Senate of a resolu-
tiOn in favor of the largest practi-
cable measure of publicity for the
proceedings. 1t Is very important
that the meaning of this resolution
be understood by the delegates.
against anything resembling, or sus-
ceptible OF Interpretation as hole
ard-corner work the American In
stinct will rebel. without the con-
cUrrence OF American public opinion
the wisest decisions OF the confer
ence may eventually prove null and
void. II the American public and
the opinion Of other countries can
be kept fully and wisely informed
upon the issues before the confer
ence as they come up. the prospect
not only OF an agreement but of
the execution of III. Agreement will