The Washington times., 1924-11-12
NJ AY
GALL FARLEY
ON ARMS
New Conference Would Talks
Up Questions Unsettled at
Previous conelave
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES.
international News Service

BY GEORGE r. HOLMES.
international News Service
Pfealdent Coolidge is only await.
Ing q favorable opportunity to take
the initiative in calling another
world arms conference--if, indeed,
''feelers" in that direction have not
already been put out ~ this Gov.
ernment, It was ascertained today
In Administration quarters.
The primary purpose Of such a
conference would be To. accomplish
what the washington conference
left ut1done; to wit, limit the pro-
ductioi1 Of aircraft for war purposes,
limit the size and number Of sub
marines, limit the size and equip.
ment OF land forces, and codify in.
ternational law.
The President Is strongly commit.
ted to the belief that the cause
or world peace can best, ana per-
hAps, only, be ftirtl1ered BY the
holding Of another conferences SINH
lar in intent and accomplishment to
that held ii washington Under
Harding.
Britain Favorable.
Dispatches from London. indi-
eating that the British government
believes the time is ripe, were
viewed in washington today as ex.
tremely significant. While Off
cials generally declined to comment
publicly on these dispatches they
ala point out With some Significance
the last word on this subject spoken
by President Coolidge ii q public
address, de follows:
when the. PREPARATION plaA (the
Dawes PLAN Is in operation, shall
deem 1t an appropriate time to ap-
proach the great powers with a
proposal for Another conference fol
a further limitation III afrtiafhents
and for .devising plans for b codifi.
cation Of international law.
81 personally favor entering cove.
nants Tor the purpose Of 6Utlawina
aggressive war by any practical
means"
The reparations plan IL now in
operation and has heeh for many
weeks.
GOverhmes1tS Stable.
And what IL more important, the
British and American governments,
upon which must fall the major
work In promoting another world
pafley, are now asstredly stable for
some years ahead. President Cool.
idge has Just been elected for a
four.year term. In England, Pre-.
mier Stanley Baldwin and his Tory
sSy~Sn1 SaNA 1Sa 80 g.
at least five years. No govern
mental overturns in either country
stand In the way OF such a parley.
Another barrier to the calling Of q
conference has been the continued
French occupation Of the Ruhf.
The French are new out Of the Ruhr.
and the thousands Of French sol.
diefs necessary to that undertaking
are now resting on their arms with
nothing to do.
The French have always been the
stumbling block in tl1s pathway Of 9
new conference. On at least three
occasions since the Washington Con.
ference, Great Britain and the
United States have been In accord
that the time was ripe for q new
conference, but on each occasion
French objections have frustrated 1t.
France Still q Puzzle.
Wheter, with the Dawes plan now
III operation, the French ont Of the
Rhuf; and French finances s6Tne-
what more stabilized ~ the new
Morgan loan, the French will f1eet
the Notwithstanding nations half
way remains tt be seen.
"a
the Washington conference that
ne6esSitAtsd 3 second conferences.
France refused to consider limita-
ton Of land affliaInerits, submarines
or aircraft, and threatened To bolt
the conference IL these subjects
were taken up. Under the cifcurn-
stances there was nothing left to
do but to postpone their eonsidera-
Ition.
There are two important ques-
lions to be settled, however, in the
summoniiig IF another conference.
There is reason to believe that
both are now being discussed in the
CAPITALS of the nations concerned.
One ID the attitude to be taken to.
ward Russia, the other is whether
the conference should be held in
America or in Europe.
ANY consideration Of land 6itia-
rilents would have to take Russia
into account, for Russia now has
the largest standing army in
Europe.
America Alone In Policy.
Every first class government iii
the world has now recognized Rus
STA save the United States. That
presents complications which Of
fic:als here were unwilling to ais
u Britain favors the second con.
ference being held abroad. fhe
American Government does not look
With much favor OH this proposal.
believing that old world jealousibs
and rivalri6s would be much more
apt to it1tftide and mar the work If
TIE conference than If 1t we're held
iii the TRANQUIL atmosphere Of wash.
ington
Another BARRIER that In the baat
has stood IN the way, Of d con!
ference has been French ifisistence
that the subject Of war debts bt
considered conetfrentiy with any
talk 81 arms limitation. trhe Amer.
lean Government has always 6p
posed this ana viii continue to OPP
pose 1t.
With the repatatiohS problem on
the way to settlement now, there il
reason to believe that the French
government. will not be SO insistefi
UPON debt discussion In conjunction
with a new arms conference.