American Notes of the Week
(By Cable)
THE DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE.
The optimism which the Hoover-MacDonald meetings have engendered on the subject ofDisarmament was sustained by the United States conversations with the Japanese Delegation, but gave way to extreme gloom with the publi- cation of the French Note. The most recent advices have, however, encouraged the Administration to regard the note as just such a frank statement of a purely national case as presumably each power would make at the outset. With such statements made clearly and frankly it is believed that the Conference will settle down to its purpose, which is to adjust purely national views, by means of discussion and compromise, to a larger international understanding. It is not believed that the French will go to London with closed minds. Certainly the American Delegation will not do so. It goes to confer and negotiate. It will be in constant touch with President Hoover and with national opinion, and with every possible avenue to agreement. A deep impression has been made by General Smuts' statement that the inevitable result of the London meeting will be either a reduction or an increase of armaments. American opinion is strong that the latter result is inconceivable. A significant possibility—a treaty to supplement the Kellogg Pact by providing machinery for consultation between the signatories, —is being considered by the American Administration.
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