Norwich bulletin., 1922-01-03
WASHINGTON AFFAIRS

conference has accomplished much. It will be recalled that President Harding and the American delegates warned the country against expecting that perpetu- al peace and laying down of arms would immediately follow. It was an nounced as a ''conference" to talk over the situation and take whatever steps could be agreed on to lessen the ter rife burden of maintaining competitive navies and at the same time try to solve certain other great questions in- volving not only naval armament but international relations of the Far East Remembering that it was conference and mot final tribunal, that President Harding asked for, the result is fully up to the expectation of the men most active in bringing it about. They may have hoped for other adjustments al- so but the main point of doing away with the enormous expenses of keeping up a big navy has been accomplished It Is also well to recall one other thing, according to the opinions of per- sons here who have followed the con- ference closely. Immediately after Mir. Bria nd made his startling speech at 1 the plenary session, 1t was apparent that the conference would run across a big | ger snag in the insistance of France, l than through the reluctance of Japan, | in carrying out the proposed programme. That sentiment was mentioned in rhese columns by your correspondent who has l listened to Briand and gained the in- pression, as did many other newspaper writers, that France would be the last nation to make concessions. And such i has proved to be the case Deleg ates are preparing to return to their homes early in this month but the atmosphere q For
 a great reduction in naval maintenance l There will be- a big democratic fight 1 against the Harding treaty but Mir Lodge and other leaders believe it will
 be ratified without undue delay.
 l There are three New England mem hers on the Foreign Relations commit
 tee to which the treaty will be referred l before going before the senate for dis cussion and ratification. They are Sen 1 ators Lodge, of Massachusetts. chair man, Senator randegee, Connecticut,
 and Senator Moses, New Hampshire
 The coal situation in New England is so acute on account of high prices that Congressman Rogers of Massa-
 chusetts has taken up the matter with ] the attorney general and asked an in- vestigaton. regarding the validity of the Pennsylvania law which puts tax on the mining of anthra cite coal Mir Rog- CTS has called to the attention of the attorney general the fact that New Eng
 land is dependent on Pennsylvania for its coal supply and that the taxes as
 passed by the legislature of that state will increase the cost to New England
 consumers to an approximate sum of
 S12, GOO 000 a year. ''Pennsvlvania. says
 Mr. Rogers, 'has been trying to collect
 alarge part of her revenues through | coal mi haF cfc
 impose 8 tax on mined anthracite of one and one-half per cent. each ton: it al. so would impose an additional tax or each ton of two per cent and the
 third would put certain restraints or
 mining of anthracite. This would place
 a heavy bUtden on New England. es
 pecially the small consumers for house hold purposes.
 Senator Mclean has been kept her, | during the recess on account of the i'm portant hearings before the finance com t mittee of which he is a member. Many t New England men have appeared anC : testified about the needs of that sec D tion in regard to taxation adjustments Senator Brandegee has also been il ]. Washington throughout the recess hold ing daily hearings on the Watson arm, a charges. k
 II h. | speaker of the house is in constan : demand at White House and otbe { state dinners, where diDlomats attend l. ing the conference are special guests o l. honor In such cases Mrs. Gillett l. usually placed next to the distinguish q ed guest for whom the dinner Is eiver :. This is not only through her officia ', rank, but because she speaks Frenc Il with ease and fluency. having spent muc 2 time in France before her marriage f l. Mir. Gillett. So when a distinguishe n diplomat who speaks no English. or a r. the most, sneaks it with dirficuItv an l. hesitation the wise hostess selects Mir!
 Gillett for his seat-mate Hosteeses c it high deeree have not forgotten the lit - tie incident that happened during in
 diplomatic career of the Chinese An
 bassador Wu Ting FanI On one occs -- sion when he was the honor guest at dir $ ner, a woman of high official positio e was seated next to him. Casting on r. long look at the Oriental robes of th 1t ambassador, the lady opened the cor ,e versation by remarling "Me no speeke In China vellv welly." Whereupon An
 bassador Wu. bowed politely and said most perfect English. Never mind T. can converse in English
 ~ They telling the story of Dr. !. H. seph Kornfeid, minis to Persia tn; Us would seem to put him at the top notc es of diplomats:
 nt The story runs that when Dr. Kor, ar field was nominated by the presider re newspaper and maga 2ine men immed re ately asked him to say something col I. corning the relations of the Unite
 States and Persia. To this he replie
 Not having heens confirmed hv the SCI
 ate 1t would he the height of folly f
 men to mai!e any statement" Soc ar after tha he said Having been confirm,
 by the senate it would be the height
 wisdom for me not to make any stat ment."
 he One of the most pathetic incidents
 relation to war risk matters came
 light this week, when Congressm;
 Glynn of Connecticut received word sir De ultaneously of the death of Sergeant N ss chaer Bokio of Waterbury. Bokio W
 sergeant In Go. NJ, 1o2nd Infant
 and had been twice cited for braver be Once by the Marshal of France. F g. claim had been long pending and be
 pressed by MT. Glynn. But the sergea
 died few hours before notice of f Q. vorable action could reach him
 IT, President and Mrs. Harding we |, forced by official duties of the presidel
 to cancel the plans they had made f ir week in the pine woods of a resc M further south. For Washington has SC @ some pretty cold wea ther as weather IT, reckoned here. There has been no sn,
 except one day when several inches ft
 to melt almost as soon as 1t touched t al- ground, but southerners commented on it as "a blizzard" and unquestional vl- thought they had had & genuine sa'