Evening star., 1925-12-19
LEADERS SHAPING
D|SARM|NG POLICY
Kellogg ConsuIts With Borah
and Porter Respecting U. S.
Attitude on Note.

While their extent is unknown. con-
ferenceS already are taking place be-
tween administration leaders concern
ing the probability of American par
ticipation in the preparatory discus
sion of disarmament at Geneva. At
the White House it was said yeSter-
day that the invitation of the Council
Of the League of Nations for Amer
lean representation on the commits
sion was still under cunside atom
there, at the State Department and
in the Senate The only statement IS
TO the nature OF that consideration,
however. was that the President pur-
posed to dispose OF the question in ac-
cordance with the policy he laid down
as TO partiCipat ton In European affairs
in his annual message.
Kellogg Starts Conferences.
Secretary Kellogg has taken up the
invitation informally with Senator
Borah. Republican, Idaho. and Repre-
sentative Porter. Republican. Penn
sylvania, chairman of the Senate and
House committee dealing with for
eign affairs and relations, who called
together at the State Department
The talk Is said to have produced
suggestion that 1t would not be neces-
sary to await congressional authority
to appoint Minister Hugh Gibson at
Berne to represent the United States
In the preparatory commission pro-
-ceedings, although II would be de-
sirable to go to Congress before
decision was reached to join any
plenary conference on armaments
which might follow. Some congress
Sional leaders are described as Shar-
ing this view. although the attitude
Of the two chairmen is not known
In the meantime there were signs
that the wide difference of view in
foreign capitals as to the scope OF the
conference Is attracting official atten-
ton here. Press cables have reflected
this difference, particularly those
from Geneva, where NJ. Paul Boncour
has outlined frankly the French atti-
tude as to necessity of consideration
of land, sea and air aspects of the
whole disarmament matter at the
same time.
Will Delay Final Decision.
II appears possible the final decision
AZ to the Washington policy will
await word from American diplomats
stationed at the various capitals as TO
the attitude of each government, or
al least, until the fun scope of the
preparatory commisSion's work and
composition is known. The latter in
formation is on its way by mail from
Geneva and is not expected until next
week.
Examination of the Presidents
message shows that 1t left the door
open 10 American participation in an
effort in Europe TO limit land arma-
ments. although that question was de-
scribed as peculiarly European in it's
practical aspects" When the mes
sage was delivered, however, the
Geneva discussions had not developed
to the point reached in the invitation,
and the President made II plain that
he did not anticipate that both naval
and land arma ments would he dealt
with in the projected conference.
Army Reduction First.
The President said the United
States would look with peculiar
gratitude" on anything Europe might
do TO reduce It's military forces.
This he added. lis in accordance
with our policy of not intervening un-
less European powers are unable to
agree and make request for our as
sistance. 1t seems clear that
1t is the reduction of armies rather
than of navies that is of first i'm
portance to the world at the present
time. II that can be settled
we may easily consider further reduc-
ton and limitation of naval arrna-
mentS."
The President emphasized the will
ingness of the United States Ito call
such a conference but added:
Under congressional sanction II
would seem to be wise to participate
in any conference of the great pow
ers for naval limitation OF armament
proposed upon such conditions that
1t would hold fair promise of being
effective"
No Call Issued.
1t Is this statement OF policy by
which the administration attitude to-
ward the Geneva invitation, which II
may have inspired, Is to be measured.
In that connection, II Is pointed out
that the invitation itself is only to sit
on the Preparatory Commission and
that no call has vet been issued by the
league for a general plenary confer
ence or Is to be expected until the
commission has worked out an agenda
that, to use the language of the
Presidents message, may hold a fair
promise of being effective" The COM
mission has no function except dis
cussion in a round-table effort to find
a basis for subsequent disarmament
negotiations, and that fact is under
stood to have caught official attention
here.
1t is hardly to be doubted that the
Washington Government would pre-
fer to deal separately with naval arma-
ments. and to expand and complete the
work Of the original Washington naval
conference. At the same time it is
anxious to extend every possible en-
and assistance to Eu-
ropes effort to solve land and air
armament, problems. and 1t is un-
questionable that the trend Of official
thought at the moment is toward par
ticipation In the preliminary commits
sion work to that end regardless
whether 1t would be possible to join In
a subsequent world conference Of all
phases of disarmament.