Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-03
FUNDS To Be ASKED
FOR ARMS FARLEY
President to Move for U. S.
Share in Preparatory Ses-
si0ns in Geneva.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Coolidge is preparing to
ask Congress, probably this week, for
appropriations to cover American par
ticipation in the Preparatory Commits
sion, which will consider disarmament
questic IT Geneva in February.
The amount to be asked has not been
disclosed, but Is not expected to be
large.
Representative Porter, Republican,
Pennsylvania, chairman of the House
committee on foreign affairs, con-
ferred with Secretary Kellogg yester-
day, and while the question of appro-
priations is understood to have been
discussed, no statement was issued at
the State Department.
The President already has satisfied
himself that there is no serious oppo-
sition in Congress to the plan for par
ticipating in the preliminary discus
sion, while the question Of Washing
tons attitude on Joining in the actual
disarmament conference for which the
Preparatory Commission is expected
to clear the way, is left to be deter
mined on the basis of what the com
mission is able to do toward outlining
an agenda.
Question of Technical Aid.
In some quarters it is now expected
that the Preparatory Commission will
be composed largely of the ministers
of the various countries stationed at
Berne, Switzerland. The original sug
gestion considered by the Washington
Government was that Minister Gibson
should be named TO represent the
United States, with such technical or
other help as he might need. There
has been no indication as yet of the
extent to which Army or Navy Off
GERS may be called upon to act as
technical advisers, although both the
War and Navy Departments are work
ing up data and questions of policy
for the information of the American
representatives.
Examination of the supplemental
documents transmitted by mail from
Geneva bearing on the scope and COM
position of the Preparatory Commits
sion has created the impression among
some officials that it will take a long
time to work out anything approach
ing an agenda for conference where
there would be reasonable hope of ar
irving at arms limitations agreements.
1t might take a year, 1t is said, to go
over the ground, and find formulas
for such a plenary meeting, since
there would have to be extensive in
Exchanges between Geneva and the
various capitals during the sessions
of the Preparatory Commission.
Large Group Unlikely.
For that reason, 1t is doubted that
a large American technical group will
be necessary during the preliminary
discussions. And for the same reason
there is a feeling that there is little
necessity to consider now whether the
United States should participate in an
actual limitation conference should it
prove possible to work out basis on
which the League of Nations Council
could extend invitations to such a
gathering.
1t has been indicated authoritatively
that President Coolidge would not seek
TO send official representatives to an
arms conference without specific con-
gressional authority and the request
for funds to cover the cost of partici-
pating in the Preparatory Commission
discussion is not expected to bring up
that question.