Evening star., 1924-09-11
COOLIDGE TO DEFER
ARMS PARLEY CALL
President to Take No Action
Until Effect of Dawes
Plan Is Seen.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
President Coolidge is as anxious
that something practical be done to
limit further the armaments of the
principal powers of the world, as
are the spokesmen of governments
who recently met in the assembly of
the League of Nations at Geneva.
Mr.. Coolidge has no idea that the
suggestion he made in his recent
speech, namely, that he would con-
woke conference on ornaments will,
IN any way, conflict with the plan
made at Geneva for a conference of
powers. The Geneva institution is
to appoint commission to study the
armament question and feel out the
viewpoint OF the powers with respect
10 plan to be presented to them in
an international conference. America
Is deeply interested in all plans
which will reduce the cost of arma- =
ments. The policy of the United
States Government. however, is based
upon a belief that move in the
direction of an international confer
ence VIII come with better chance
of success when Europe has had an
opportunity to digest the Dawes re-
port and to put it into actual oper-
alton.
Recalls BRANDS Views,
Mr.. Coolidge has not forgotten that
In the Washington conference for the
limitation of armaments an effort
was made to bring up the subject Of
the size of armies and land military
establishments. The speech of Pre-
mier BRAND. in which he pointed out
that France felt herself in constant
jeopardy. and could not at that time
discuss land armaments, still has it's
Impression fndelibly written in the
minds of officials here. In other
words, 1T was useless then to ask
France to reduce her armaments be-
cause the latter was constantly think
ing of the situation in connection
with reparations. and. of course, her
own national security as affected by
the controversies growing out of the
treaty of Versailles. In such a mood
and in such temper, efforts to con-
woke an International conference were
not regarded as likely to succeed.
But when the United States Gov
eminent will assume the initiative in
convening an international confer
ence must for the moment be left
open. Certainly nothing will be done
during the present political cam
paign, as such a move might be mis-
construed both abroad and in this
country. When the smoke of the
campaign has cleared away, the Pres
ident feels, it will be time enough to
examine whether the operation of the
Dawes report has brought about a
different state of mind in Europe with
respect to armament conferences.
Meanwhile the League of Nations,
with is commission of inquiry, will be
studying the subject and much more
will be known about the attitude Of
of hn~ nfvta Ioy se L.,
Thus far, the only commitment made
from Geneva has been for the princi-
pie of further reduction of arma-
ments and a method of arbitration,
but there Is always a practical diff
Guilty when 1t comes to applying the
principle in a definite treaty form.
Forecast of Outcome Likely.
1t would not be surprisingif, after
all, the attitude of the foreign gov
ernments would develop concretely
what could be accomplished in an in
ternational conference if it were held,
so that the chance of succeeding
would be known far in advance
While much was accomplished at the
Washington conference that was a
surprise to the general public, there
is no doubt that the main idea back
of the Washington conference was
fully discussed by the powers before
they sent their plenipotentiaries to
Washington and that there was sub
j stantial agreement before the confer
ence actually met.
In other words, diplomacy is con-
stantly trying to discover common
ground on all moot questions, and
| there is no doubt that the subject of
| military weapons and a conference to
| codify international law will be given
| a. hA
| tion proceeds with it's foreign policy.
Just now, the administration feels
quite confident that the Dawes plan
| will take good deal of time and
| concerted thought to operate success
| fully, and that its varied processes
are the best answer that can be made
| as to the attitude of the Republican
party toward questions overseas. In
deed, If it were not for the Dawes
plan, the Republican administration
might consider itself on the defen-
sive because the unsettled condition
of affairs abroad would have provoke ed
constant inquiry as to the American
plan or solution. With a plan adopted
by all the interested parties, it is felt
| there is nothing more the United
States could do for Europe even if il
were a member of the League of Ma
| tions. The working out of the Dawes
plan must be awaited before the next
steps can be taken. And it will be
long after election before it can he
! determined whether the Dawes plan
is success or a failure.
| No Developments i'm Sight.
| No new developments may, there.
| fore, be expected in connection with
the foreign policy of the administra-
ton which might be a factor in the
national political campaign. The ad.
ministration's foreign policy will be
attacked of course, but President
Coolidge is confident that with tn.
| gradual Improvement of conditions ir
Europe he will get the benefit OF
public reaction rather than a resent.
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