WASHINGTON CONFERENCE

Otago Witness, Issue 3556, 9 May 1922, Page 21

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE

SIR JOHN SALMOND INTERESTED. SYDNEY, May 3. Sir John Salmond, interviewed, said he regarded the achivements at the Washington Conference as nothing short of marvellous. He expressed his firm belief in Japan’s good faith and honest desire for international welfare. The conception that Japan harboured treacherous plans of aggression was unfounded. The impression left on his mind was that she recognised that her interests were inseparable from peace, and that she wanted peace honestly and sincerely. The Pacific problem had been practically settled at the Conference, and Japan’s attitude was worthy of high commendation. Sir John Salmond described the dramatic moment when Mr Charles Hughes announced America’s proposed naval reduction policy, which caused an immense effect. Sir John Salmond said he believed that the Washington Naval Treaty had put an end to the insensate competition in naval armaments. The Anglo-Jap-anese Alliance had been successfully supplanted, and this removed America’s suspicions and made for a wider and more satisfactory scheme. Notwithstanding this, naval defence in the Pacific had not become unnecessary. Australia and New Zealand should take their fair share of the maintenance of the British forces that will still be found necessary; but the policy of painting Japan black fostered a feeling which was opposed to that which was necessary for the maintenance of the good-will of nations. It was unlikely that the Washington Conference would have any immediate successors, because the completeness of the work done. The results were a matter for profound satisfaction to all the Powers concerned, and more especially to Australasia. which was so deeply interested in Pacific problems. Sir John Salmond regards as probably the most important agreement at the Washington Conference that relating to China, which up to the time of the Conference was a stumbling-block to peace in the Pacific, owing to the conflicting inter ests in that great country of the various nationalities. The agreement by these nationalities in respect to the territorial integrity of China and the abstention from taking advantage of its internal dissensions in order to obtain territorial and commercial advantages had resulted in an understanding which had practically realised the ideal of peace in the Pacific. CHILI’S PROPOSAL. WASHINGTON, May 3. The Chilian Ambassador, acting under the Government’s instructions, communicated with Dr L. S. Rowe, Director-gene-ral of the Pan-American Union, proposing a limitation of armaments throughout Latin America.