The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-02-06
CALLS ARMS FARLEY
SOUND AND SOLID
London Observer Praises
Washington Conference for
What 1t Has Done.
SEES VERY FEW FLAWS
Says Achievements Will
Serve as Peace Model in
Wider Field.
SEES VERY FEW FLAWS

Special Cable to The New YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1899. By THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau
London. Feb. 8. !
Commenting on the termination OF
the Washington conference, the OBJ
scrUcr this morning says:
'"rhe great undertaking Of the Wash
ington conference has come splendidly
through. The submarine. though under
q revised license, is still legitimate
weapon Of war Naval disarmament
actually is to involve some new build
ing by Great Britain. Land ornaments
the conference leaves intact. These are
flaws in what would otherwise be an
almost miraculous dispensation.
But what is still not DONE is not
prejudged. What Is done is sound and
solid. That Is the whole difference be-
tween Washington and Versailles. What
the Washington meeting has set its Sig
nature to can be accepted as pure gain.
The margin Of non-accomplishment is
there, but it is definite and visible and
shows that the conference has not fallen
much short of it's limits in what was
practical. The work Of YER
sailles must be undone and the work Of
Washington developed, il civilization is
to be safe again.
1.-The positive achievements will serve
lin fact, they have begun already 20
serve--as a model for peace action in a
wider field. They were reached through
courage, good sense and good faith.
Americas lead was bold and ambitious,
as the now departure required. At the
same time, it was thoroughly practical
bie as the risk of failure and all that
must have flowed from it necessitated.
We should be prepared to adj
NIT that the Washington principles will
not be applied without disputes and diff
ficulties, while we are confident the
honor and the interest Of the sigma
tories are equally engaged in their sue
cess
But one consideration must dominate
all others, whether we take O. hopeful
or cynical view. Plainly and irrev-
ocably, the Washington conference has
banished the fear of competition in
naval ornaments between Great Brit
ain and the United States. Such rivalry
would have sprung from that false issue
of Anglo-Japanese alliance. 1t would
have been accompanied by desperate
enbitterment Of feeling. 1t would have
been bascless. futile and ruinous.
"But let any one carry his mind back
a few months to the situation that then
existed, before the conference assent
was not possible---indeed. falling the
conference, certain. Seldom had Anglo
American relations been at u more dam
gerous and exasperating point That
unnatural and barely imaginable quar-
rel we and the world have been spared.
The conference showed, in the policies
of the two countries. sincere ana
sponta neous identity OF purpose. There
will he few more memorable passages
OF craftsmanship than that which re-
lates how the peril Of Anglo-Ameriean
conflict was ayerted by a frank CONSUL
tation on an unreal position.
"Anglo-American friendship Is bound
up with success in the treaty; and Is in
turn its main guaranty. Without that
not even the treaty would be practica-
BILE. With It, much moro than the treaty
and a much wider application of its
spirit become possible"
LONDON, Feb. 5 (Associated Press -
The Sunday Times says America Is TO
be congratulated upon the success OF
the conference. The threat of war be-
tween Japan and America has been ban
ished, indeed made physically impossible
without Great Britain's assistance. in
view of the agreement not to fortify fur
ther the islands OF the Pacific.
"The Pacific is now pacific in namo
and in fact" the newspaper adds. a
deal remains to be done, but enough has
been done to justify the CONFERENCE.-The
ropean States please copy"