The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-01-08

Paris is mainly a difference OF sit
uation-the difference between an
infinitely difficult and complicated
situation and a comparatively we'll
defined and DEFINITE one.
Mr.. Hughes himself is partly re-
sponsible for the resentment that
the press felt at the failure to
follow Mr.. Balfour's suggestion and
conduct the submarine discussion
in the open. Anyone who has
taken the pains to read the text OF
these discussions as they have
been fully printed in the leading
journals OF the country can see
how we'll adapted they were to
public meeting. There was nothing
in them that would jeopardize any
nation: there was much in them
that would have been illuminative;
its impression intensified. II II could
have been heard instead OF read. Mr..
Hughes in his talk OF these dis
cussions to the correspondents was
actually tantaliZing. When he
walked briskly into his press con-
ference at the end OF long COM
mittee discussion and told hum
dred and more men and women
gathered around him what an IN
tellectual treat It had been: OF how
Mr.. Balfour had been in his best
form: Of how lively the exchange
had been between French and
English: his swapping eyes. his ap-
preciative voice. his glow OF enthu-
siasm. were actually antagonizins
He overlooked entirely the TACT
that he was making more than one
in the assembly say: Selfish man:
don't you suppose that we ~oulo
have enjoyed seeing and hearing
Mr.. Balfour in his best form? Is
there anything at this conference
that we would have liked so mucn'
except, Of course. hearing you? DO
YOU think we arc going to he satis-
ned with your promise that we snail
have full reports of all that was
said?"
Mr.. Hughes didn't realize it, but
there were some OF us that took
our mimeographed copies OF inc
discussions home. feeling that We
had been deprived OF a pleasure
which was our due and knowing In
our hearts that 1t would have been
very much better for Mr.. Hughes IN
the long run il he had given the
public that which he had withheld.
Contrasts Assembly Meetings.
/ know very we'll that II 10 not
considered good form at this con-
ference to use the words league OF
nations-and no offense Is intendeo
but II one is really interested IN
trying to decide just how much
publicity is wise in such a confer
ence as this. any experience OF oth-
er similar bodies should be con-
sidered, and after all II cannot be
denied that the assembly OF the
league of nations Is a similar body
to this. the chief differences being
that 1t includes ffty-three nations
instead of nine. At the second
meeting of the assembly of the
league last fall, lasting four and
half weeks. there were thirty-three
plenary conferences. To date In
the conference for the limitation OF
ornaments, seven weeks, there
have been but four. One cannot
say that the matters under consid-
Grafton here are any more delicate
or dangerous than either the AL
bantam or the Polish Lithuanian
question. both of which were openly
discussed last fall in the assembly
of the league.
NiehOuSn Tie seventh "ech -
the conference was the most ha-
RAISING that 1t has lived through.
nothing happened to Justify the
solemn declarations that it was
wrecked" ''paralyzed," "abortive.
On the contrary. 1t succeeded In
several particulars: 1t cleared up
the capital ship ratio; 1t is now set
tied that the Ave great powers will
accept the 5-5-3;-1.75-1.75 program
with ten years naval holiday.
That's a great thing In itself.
U-Boats to BE Restrained.
II the submarine is not to be lin
tied because Of Frances insistence
that she needs" 10000 tons OF
them. at least we shall get set OF
drastic rules regulating their use,
including, 1t is to be hoped, Mr..
Roots suggestion that a violation
of the rules be regarded as an act
of piracy Ind punished as nations