Evening star., 1925-01-03
NEW ARMS PARLEY
GAINING SUPPORT
Borah Ready to Back Presi-
dent in His Views on Con-
ference Limited in Scope.

A further crystalizing of the move
ment toward another international
conference on disarmament was seen
here today in the most recent express
sions on the question by President
Coolidge and Chairman Borah of the
Senate foreign relations committee.
After the President had let it be
known yesterday that he regarded
Senator Borah's proposal to link up
economic questions with disarmament
in an international conference as i'm
practical. the Senator announced that
he would warmly support a proposal
for conference to deal only with
disarmament if that were deemed
wisest.
The President has not discussed
with Senator Borah his view that in
clusion of economic questions in such
a conference would mean a too broad
and indefinite scope to yield practical
results, but believes that conference
resolution satisfactory to both could
readily be framed.
Economic Problems Stressed.
While stating that conference for
further progress in disarmament
would be "a great gain in ITSELF and
he would heartily support 1t, the
foreign relations chairman said he
was still of the belief that "substan-
tial disarmament, or substantial
progress toward permanent peace
cannot be had without settling two
or three prior economic problems
which are disturbing the world"
Declaring his idea of an interna-
tional conference "is possibly imprac-
tfcable at this time" Senator Borah
in statement last night declared he
was of the belief, and had been for
three years, that substantial dis
armament, or substantial progress to-
ward permanent peace, cannot be had
without settling two or three prior
economic problems which are dis
turbing the world"
The Idaho Senator said he felt sure
these matters would have to be dis
cussed some time, but added he would
''be delighted, if my proposal seems
too broad, to have a disarmament
conference called. including the great
naval powers
"If the President called a confer
ence to make further progress in dis
armament without including the set
tlement of the economic questions"
Senator Borah said, that would be
great gain in itself" He added he
would be glad to support that propo-
sition, "in view of the situation now
existing between the United States
and Japan"
Senator Borah predicted that unless
there is called some kind of a con-
ference in which disarmament, among
other things, would be considered,
I'VE are going to be in a real COM
petitive naval race with Japan"
above all things" he asserted, I'VE
ought to avoid that
Mr.. Coolidge has not studied any
draft of Senator Borahs proposed
resolution directing the President to
call an economic and armament con-
ference, but on the basis Of prelimi-
nary description of the resolution Is
inclined to regard it as too broad in
scope to be practical.
The best results from conference
to limit further competitive arma-
ments. the President holds, would
arise from a conference of limited
scope. The question of economic con-
ditions is too broad in it's general
application to be successfully con-
sidered at an International meeting,
the President believes, and therefore
any meeting to discuss matters of an
economic nature should be made spe-
cific as to Its purpose.
Mr.. Coolidge and Senator Borah
have not conferred on the Senator's
proposal but the President believes
that through such conference it
tion acceptable to both.