HISTORY IN THE MAKING.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 May 1922, Page 7

HISTORY IN THE MAKING.

SIR J. SALMOND’S RETURN. INTERESTING DETAILS OF WASHINGTON CONFERENCE. FRANCE AND GERMANY. In excellent spirits, and looking the picture of good health, Sir John Salmond, getting off the Manuka on Monday, was kind enough to talk over with a New Zealand Times representative some of his experiences during his absence of seven months from ■the Dominion. Travelling in company with Senator Pearce, the Australian delegate, Sir John left New Zealand in October last en route to the International Conference at Washington, arriving there simultaneously with Mr. Balfour and Lord Lee, the British representatives. Sir John was just in time, he says, to take part in the ceremony of the burial of the American “Unknown Soldier” at Arlington cemetery, outside Washington, the national cemetery, where ever since the days of the civil war America has laid her soldiers to sleep. Previous to the funeral, however, and while the body was lying in state in its coffin at the Capitol, Sir John paid New Zealand’s tribute to the dead by laying on the coffin a wreath, an example followed by all the other nations there represented. At Arlington cemetery, Sir John recalled, the service took place in the magnificent white marble amphitheatre erected for just such occasions. To the huge assemblage President Harding delivered a most impressive address, which, by means of that wonderful invention. the “amplifier,” was heard, not only by the 100,000 persons present at Arlington, but simultaneously by over 30,000 people at New York and *20,000 at San Francisco,

CONFERENCE HARMONIOUS. On the following day the Washington . Conference was opened, when Mr. Hughes, the American Secretary of State, made his dramatic announcement of the courageous and statesmanlike proposals for the reduction of the world’s fighting fleets and the cessation of all further naval competition. The discussion of other proposals, and of the questions relating to the Far East, continued at Washington for no less a period than three months, but it resulted in a series of treaties so important as to make the conference an event of historical significance. “A great day, indeed.” said Sir John, “when the representatives of the nine great nations put their lianas and seals to those international documents.” At Washington, pointed out Sir John Salmond, the British Empire was represented by sevenV delegates: Mr. Balfour, Lord Lee (First Lord of t?»e Admiralty), Sir Auckland Geddes (Che British Ambassador), Sir Robert Borden (of Canada), Senator Pearce (of Australia), the Rt. Hon. Srinivasa Sastri (of India), and himself. South Africa was not separately represented, but Mr. Balfour was empowered to sign tue necessary documents for her; and Sir John lays emphasis upon the cordiality and harmony of the relations existing amongst the members of the British delegation throughout the entire conference. Mr. Balfour, by virtue of his wonderful personality, ability and prestige, exercised a predominant influence, not alone over the British representatives, but over the deliberations of the conference as a whole, and Sir John was delighted to find that the services of that most eminent statesman, in the interests of the Eihpire and of the whole world, at last had been fittingly recognised and rewarded by the distinctions recently conferred upon him.

In connection with the impending visit of Mr. Srinivasa Sastri to Australia and New Zealand, Sir John spoke of that gentleman as a man of ability, great culture and higt distinction; and he (Sir John) did not doubt that he would be received with all due courtesy and respect during his visit to the Dominions. WELL TREATED IN AMERICA. Speaking of his own reception and treatment in America, Sir John said he had met with unremitting kindness and cordiality from the Government and the people generally, and in all the mutual dealings between the Americans and the British representatives at the conference there had been the utmost harmony. Over and above tne merely formal results embodied in the treaties, said Sir John, he was sure the conference had, to a notable degree. promoted the peace and welfare of the world. It had induced mutual trust and confidence between the three great Powers—the British Empire, Japan, and the United States. Those three' Powers were the ones who dominated the Pacific Ocean, and in their mutual harmony and co-operation the whole of the Australasian colonies were, necessarily, deeply and closely interested. While in America, Sir John took the opportunity to visit New York and Boston, and addressed the New York Bar Association and the students at Harvard University. At the close of the conference Sir John left New York for England on the Aquitanla, in company with the other returning British delegates. During his stay of a few weeks in England Sir John had the honor, as New Zealand’s representative at the Washington Conference, of a private audience with His Majesty. Leaving England in the middle of last March, Sir John took the opportunity to visit the Somme battlefields, wTttch, to a large extent, still remain a scene of appalling military desolation and destruction. GERMANS TREAT ENGLISHMEN WELL. Passing aloflg into Germany. Sir John then spent a few days in the neighborhood of the Black Forest, and was greatly struck by the fact that, everywhere, Englishmen were being received by the Germans without any apparent manifestations of distrust or ill-will produced by the war. The impression produced upon his mind was ! that any and al] such feelings on the part of the Germans were being reserved for the French rather than for the British. Leaving Germany, and after a few days spent in the fairylike Riviera., Sir John joined the Ormuz at Toulon, and now. after an absence of nearly seven months, was delighted to find himself once more back in his own country. His health, he said, had lu'en quite good right along, and lie had enjoyed his many varied experiences to the full. ‘ ?