CONFERENCE POSSIBILITIES MANY ISSUES DISCUSSED.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1921, Page 2

CONFERENCE POSSIBILITIES MANY ISSUES DISCUSSED.

(From the Spfeciai Representative of tile Australian Press Association.) (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Nor. 20 There has been much comment regarding the Presidental suggestion for enlarging the present Conference, taking in Germany and other Powers, and for the association of nations. The British let it he known through their official spokesman that they would "elcome any action tending towards peace of the world, hut they considered this a domestic matter and awaited an expression of opinion hv the Congress. Britain would he found willing to fall in with any views in the direction of a further comity'of nations. France was expected to oppose, on the grounds that she could only keep Germany in order by the presence of a big French Army. It was impossible to secure anything official) ns M. Briand is on the ocean, nobody belonging to French delegation will commit themselves. Some French advisers Say that Germany would immediately try to wriggle out of her Versailles obligations and thereafter there wo*ld he questions, Italy is expected to sympathise with Mr Harding’s suggestion. Germany is known to be ready to send a small staff as soon as asked, but she might wrtnt to raise the Reparations question, which at present are considered beyond the scope of ihe present Conference. Next week is expected to he Navy week. British and American naval advisers have practically completed their investigations. The Japanese are still examining figures. A most satisfactory

progress lias been made towards a conelusion. There lias been no undue delay. It is semi-officially hinted that the submarine question still plays a .large

part in the discussions. There is a growing opinion that the British shared the view to some extent .with the Americans that it would be useless to restrict capital ships and at the same time to sanction the creation of aii underseas Navy, with almost as mtich potentiality for harm. This would he disastrous in the cause of peacd; The week-end brought forward a clop of contradictions; various delegations denying rumours that there was ahy friction between any of them. _ This afternoon there were signs of a deadlock between United States and Japan, on the subject of the tonnage ratio of capital ships. It is authoritatively stated United States will see no reasons to depart from the original proposition, while it is known Japan is straining every nerve to keep tho Mutsu from being scrapped. Meanwhile consideration of the question of submarine tonnage anil auxiliary craft has been postponed, but an American spokesman pointed out that when an agreement was reached respecting capital ships, the rest of the naval , plans would follow automatically. The Far Eastern Committee is most sympathetic in regard to China’s plea respecting tariff autonomy. The American administration view is that something must be done to remove the pre-

sent restrictions. Regarding the presidential suggestion for enlarging the Conference, and making it a yearly affair, Senate irreconeiliables declared to-day they were opposed to any association of nations involving American troqps fighting someone else’s battles. Mr Balfour is reported as being disinclined to discuss the proposition. Japanese, Belgians and other delegations supported the plan in principle.