Washington Conference

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1921, Page 3

Washington Conference

HARDJXD’X INVITATION. ; WASHINGTON, Aug. II ' The text of President Harding’s in\itatio,: to the Disarmament Conference reads as follows: “The President •is deeply gratified at the cordial response to the suggestion that there should be h conference on the subject df the limitation of armaments, in connection with which the Pacific and tin Far Eastern question can also he discussed. Productive l.ahour’s staggering economic burdens are too heavy to l;c liorne. unless the present vast public expenditures are greatly reduced. It is idle to anticipate stability, or an j assurance of social justice and security j lor peace, while wasteful unproductive 1 outlays deprive l.ahour of its just re- . wiird, and defeat the reasonable expec- ; t:tLions of progress.” i The enormous disbursements on, ami ' rivalries in, armaments manifestly constitute the greater part of the cnciini- ! hrances of enterprise. Any national; nropeusity for this is not only without economic justification, but is a constant menace to the world’s peace, rather than an assurance of its preservation, j Yet 1 do not expect a halt in the increasing outlays, unless the Powers are | largely concerned to find a satisfactory J basis of agreement regarding limitation. I The time is helieted to lie opportune ! for the Powers to approach the subject ; directly at a conference, and while the question of naval armaments may have ; first place in the discussion, other armaments will not he excluded. It may also he found advisable to discuss proposals whereby, in the interest of Ini- , inanity, new agencies of warfare may he , controlled. It is the earnest wish of ( the Fiuted States that, through the ; interchange of views at the conference, it may he possible to find a solution o! j the Pacific and Far Eastern problems, ( which are of unquestioned importance at his time. Such a common under-1 standing respecting the matters which have been, and are, of ' international concern, may he of service in promoting an enduring friendship among our pen-, pies. It is not the purpose of. the I'llited States to attempftn define H scope of the discussion on the Pad'' \ and the Far East, hut to leave i> in exchanges of opinion before cnnlcrcc-.c, i,,' the expectation that a spirit of friendship will govern the final decision. The President therefore invites Britain to the conference, at Washington on jNowrrtjw littb I Identical notes were sent to France, 1 i Italy and dap fro and Britain, j