ABSTRACT
That the imagination of the American people had been captured by the idea of the Washington Conference was soon made plain in every part of the United States. As the month of November approached and the hour for the assembling of the Delegates drew nearer, interest was visibly stimulated by the remarkable manner in which publicity invaded every organ of the press. It was not so much a Disarmament Conference as an Arms Conference: the world in arms had been summoned to Washington. That delighted the American people who were still in a mood which had long since disappeared in Europe. The distinction between the way Americans looked upon the matter and the way the others considered it was of the same order as had been noted in London in the matter of the Imperial Conference. There the British idea of an Imperial Cabinet and the Dominions' idea of a conference of Prime Ministers had meant the difference between action and discussion. Action was certainly demanded by the American people in 1921. They Were ready for dramatic moves; and there seemed no limit to the amount of popular support these would win if care were taken to explain them properly and to act with dignity and resolution.
