A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY BY RAYMOND LESLIE BUELL D. APPLETON AND COMPANY PREFACE The Washington Conference on the Limitation of Armament was the first conference of World Powers ever held in the United States. From the standpoint of civilization, this Conference was of great importance because it brought to an end a prodigal and a ruinous competition in battleships, which, if continued, would have resulted in disaster to mankind. From the standpoint of the United States, the Conference was of great importance because it marked our reappearance in the Family of Nations; because it sealed our friendship with the British Empire; because it relieved, at least temporarily, the tension of our relations with Japan. From the standpoint of the Orient, the Conference was of importance because it recognized the military supremacy of Japan in the Far East, and because it impressed upon China the painful and now undisguised fact that her national salvation depends very largely upon herself alone. It is the purpose of this book to describe the ominous forces that made the Washington Conference a necessity; to analyze the delicate problems with which it was confronted; and to determine, if possible, the extent of its successes as well as of its failures. The author wishes to express his great indebtedness to those friends, in this country and in the Orient, who have either criticized his manuscript or furnished him with information; to members of the different delegations at Washington; and to the Independent and the Current History Magazine (the monthly publication of the New York Times) for permission to reprint portions of articles contributed to their columns. R. L. B. |