WASHINGTON SCENES.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1921, Page 12

WASHINGTON SCENES.

THE LIGHTER SIDE. SIR J. SALMOND’S MISHAP. LtJGGAGE GONaE ASTRAY. A description of scenes and personalities at the opening of the Washington conference is supplied to. the Sydney Sun by its special correspondent at Washington, Mr. Delamore McCay. ••’Looking well, but travel-worn,” writes Mr. McCay, “Mr. G. F. Pearce (the Australian delegate) and his secretaries arrived at the Union Station at 9.30 a.m. on November 10. Sir John Salmond (the New Zealand delegate) and his stall - were on the same train, and they were met by General Pershing and Mr. C. E. Hughes. Mr. Mark Sheldon, hustling along the platform, speedily set Mr. Pearce in the centre of the stage, Sir John Siflmond a. moment later unostentatiously following into a circle of brilliant uniforms and immaculate morning costumes, among which the sac suits of the Australians and New Zealanders proclaimed their simpler demo* "The handshaking had hardly concluded when a second special train drew r into the platform, and a minute later Mr. Balfour’s tall form was perceived, Vorrectly tailored to the last button. He advanced with a jaunty carriage and an amazingly youthful smile, looking like an elongated Cherryble brother. Both the Australian and New Zealand and British parties followed the waiting escort along the broad and busy Pennsylvania Avenue, past the Lafayette Hotel, where Mr. Pearce and Sir John Salmond are staying, and a mile up Connecticut Avenue to the house reserved for Mr. Balfour, where’ the British delegates alighted. The escort then ceremoniously led the Australians and New Zealanders back on a slightly altered route to their hotel. Thus they gained a longer ride—at the end of five days' train travelling. "We got a good run for our money.” said Mr. Pearce, smilingly, as he entered the hotel and made straight for the lift v exclaiming. *A hot bath comes first.’ I "Little time was allowed him for luxr nry, as 'he was due at 11 a.m. at the Capitol to lay the Australian wreath of chrysanthemums and wattle on the Unknown Warrior’s bier. Before that hour he was seen glossily arrayed and seated in a car in the procession winding to the Capitol. STR JOHN SALMOND’S ADVENTURE. “Sir John Salmond also proceeded to the Capitol, wearing a decorously dark overcoat and top hat, but he could not have discarded the cloak, because there was a crumpled grey travelling suit beneath." This wardrobe trouble was due to a railway mishap, a wrecked freight train blocking the way, The parties had to transfer to a new passenger train beyond the wreck. No luggage was handled. Mr. Pearce, however, wa® an old enough campaigner to seize the grip containing his ceremonial garments. Sir John Salmond, on arriving at Washington, hurried to a shop and bought a top-hat to enable him to attend the ceremony. The delegates in the after-

noon called on the President at the White House.’’ Describing the opei ’ng of the conference on November 12, Mr. McCay writes: “This is our President, our administration, our invitation, our conference. V4'e are American people. VVe are right glad to see you, and we want to hear you talk. Do you get us? These were the greetings unspoken, but by no means unvoiced, with which the Congressmen and other prominent citizens who crowded the galleries hailed the delegates to the Washington Conference this morning. “The session opened with a quietness which as ever so little discouraging, but ended in a buzz. Mr. C. E. Hughes, United States Secretary of S ! te, is a tall, gaunt figure, destined to command, the attention of the Conference of the World during the coming sittings, fie lias a hawk-like visage, the lower portion of which is hidden by curling white moustache and beard, but the snappy action of the mouth suggests that the unseen features would harmonise with the strength and audacity displayed by the nose, eyes and forehead. DIVERSITY OF DELEGATES. <f ßeside Mr. Hughes sat Mr. IT. C. Lodge, a small, slight figure, with white hair, moustache, and beard. ITis face is wrinkled and round, with shrewd eyes. Then came Mr. Elihu Root, whose clear, cold mentality is reflected in bis face; and Mr. Underwood, a comfortably padded man of affairs. “In the other scale, as it were, lay Mr. A. J. Balfour’s paternal blandness, commingled with a certain mastery of events in his look, the keen money face of Lord Loe, and the assured poise and semi-cynical smile < i Sir Auckland Geddes. Flanking them were Sir Robert Borden’s picturesque silver curls; Air. G. F. Pearce, quietly alert and not discomposed. though his face later showed the strain of the ' great occasion; and Sir John Salmond, a little grey lawyer, wideawake at every point of the argument. 'l'hen came Mr. Sastri, swarthy, suave, and his turban the only distinctive note in the level rank of conventional dress. "Opposite to the. Dominion delegates sat the French, headed Dy AT. Briand, whose small square figure and Latin face were almost as stolid as his aspect until he rose and poured out a torrent of vivacious speech. Neither he nor M. Viviani appeared to relish the pronounced part the galleries took in the proceedings. Below the French were the Japanese delegates, -ome of whom preserved their impassivity. The Italians sat below Mr. Sastri. and the Chinese, Portuguese, and Dutch delegates at the bottom of the table. A TUMULTOUS GALLERY. ‘The President, Mr. W. G. Harding, was handicapped by the knowledge tha, . ! tha delegates and the press had had ris speech for two days. He bravely (,:a\cd the task of its oratorical delivery. and was rewarded with an outburst of applause from the galleries, which raised the eyebrows of the European diplomats. When the President declared, M e want no war,’ a body of Congressmen leapt to their feet and loudly cheered for several minutes. Air. Balfour was also cheered when moving That Air. Hughes should take the chair, hut the liveliest culbur-ts wore reserved for the high lights o-f Air. Hughes’ * "His declamation. ‘The time has come for action? brought the galleries to their feet again. His uifer to scrap, the lot’— the 15 United State; ships how being built —set the hail ringing with the noise. Tiiorc was almost a note of chal- , long? in the elioeriiig, as .though they would aav. ‘VV’eJJ, world* do ¥°. u

think of that?’ “Through the tumult some of the Europeans locked puzzled, and others slightly annoyed. '.rhe Orientals were impassive, and the non-betraying faces of the Japanese were mirrored curiously in those of the group of Japanese ladies, the wives of delegates, sitting in the box •high above the President’s chair. i “After the sequel to Mr. .Hughes’ peroration had died down, he I sought to adjourn the session, in accorctlance with the arrangements, but the • audience here took charge of their chair- ! man and their conference. ‘Balfour! BalIfour!’ ealljul the galleries, but by this ! time the blood of the two best families ! in Boston was beginning to stir in the veins of Henry Cabot Lodge, rose and moved the adjournment.”