The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-08-26
WHY CABLE SHIP
WAS HEADED OFF
UNITED STATES is DETERMINED
TO BRING ABOUT WORLD FREE.
DOM OF COMMUNICATION.
TWO CONFERENCES THIS FALL
America Holds That No Nation
Should Control the Cables, in War
or Peace Time - Has Strong
Weapon in Radio.
BY JAMES p. HoRNApAY.

w uHlilu loll.-iptitluu llit dtNlOu VI
President Wilson the other day in di-
recting the navy department to pre-
vent a cableship of British register
from attaching new cable to the
Florida coast, is determination on
the part of the United States to bring
about world freedom Of communion
ton. Great Britain was only indi-
rectly involved in the recent episode.
The cable was being laid by an Amer
lean company, but had 1t been con
nected up with the shore it would have
been controlled by Great Britain, as
are practically all the other ocean
cables.
The whole subject of the freedom Of
communication by cable and through
| the air is to be considered at a con
ference here September 10, which will
be participated in by Great Britain,
France Japan and the United States.
| Later there is To- he a conference here
AT which some twelve or fifteen cOun-
tries will be represented. AT both con
| ferences the United States will hold
I
under which in time of war as well as
In time Of peace the wires under the
seas as well as the radio stations on
land shall not be under the exclusive
control of any nation. In the Septem-
Der IL conference only four nations
are TO be represented because these
are the only cable-laying nations at
the present time; but the United
States authorities believe IL is sub
ject in which the entire world is in
terested and so there will follow.
sometime i'm October probably, a con-
ference at which there will be a larger
representation.
Position Of the United States.
The view of the United States is
that the time has passed when any
nation or any group of nations can
hope to control communication be-
tween the peoples of the world. 1t
believes the world war settled that
question for all time to come. When
known, Great Britain was in control
of most of the cables. France also
had a considerable say so about under
water communication. The United
States had very little to say. Japan
was just beginning to reach out I'm
this new field. The Japanese have
laid a cable across the Pacific and
are now awaiting permission from the
United States to attach it to tive
shore of this country.
Only recently japanese mission
arrived here bearing a request TO the
United States that permission be
granted to make the land connection.
This mission has been notified that the
permission will not be granted at this
time and that the subject will go to
the September conference for consid-
Grafton. In this case as in the Flor
ida case in which Great Britain is in
terested, the position of the United
States will be that before permission
10 make these land connections Is
granted. there must be definite I'M
Outstanding as to the rights of the
United States with respect to the use
of these cables under any and all cir
cumstances.
Radio Uncle Sans Weapon.
Radio communication is the power
full weapon in the hands of the United
States in holding out for this world
freedom of communication. The
world war brought great developments
In radio communication The United
States during the last four years has
established wireless stations which en-
able II at this time to communicate
through the air to practically every
quarter Of the globe. This means OF
communication has its disadvantages
One of these is that II is free to all
and this means that privacy is next
TO impossible. But In spite OF the dis
advantages the United States Is able
10 say to Great Britain and TO Japan,
II II should care to do so. that II can
get along without the use of the cables
which they control. SO the state de
partment officials believe that when
the subject is taken up at the forth
coming conference the United States
will be able to obtain a far more sat
isfactory arrangement with the cable
companies than II has ever had In the
past The men who are devoting their
lives 10 this subject of radio communi-
cation say that wireless telegraphy. so
called. Is In it's infancy.
Set for Presidential Race.
The prellminaries for this years
presidential campaign are out OF
the way. Within few weeks
the contests will be warming up. and
by the first Of October they will be In
full swing. Five nominees for presi-
dent have been made. as follows:
Gov. James NJ. Cox, Ohio. Democrat;
Senator Warren @. Harding, Ohio. Re
publican; Farley Z. Christensen. Utah.
Labor-Farmer; Aaron ID. Watkins.
Ohio, Prohibition. and Eugene V. Debs.
Indiana, Socialist. II may be that 9th
err nominations will be made. but at
this time there is no prospect OF any
more.
The two major candidates, Governor
Cox and Senator Harding, have spok-
en- In response 20 formal notification,
aud the other three candidates have