The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-11-06
WILL OPEN THE WAY

The armament conference in Wash
ington will be the most important and
vital consultation ever held by men.
1t may fail to accomplish its stated
purpose. No one has the remotest
depreciation that at its close, nations
will throw dway their arms and lie
down like the lion and the lamb
Neither will it eradicate race distinc-
tons or accomplish any other mir
aclcs.
In an indirect manner it cannot fail
to open the way for better world con
'ditions.
The sunniest optimist cannot fal
10 see that the world is in very great
danger of another outbreak of wars
perhaps an era Of great wars.
These powder trails that threaten
humanity are all laid in certain ply
steal conditions. The indirect and I'M
spoken purpose Of the conference is to
attempt to adjust these difficulties.
Until they are adjusted it will be
idle, Of course, to expect any nation
to reduce its own power to fight.
In general way it can be said that
all these sores are due to the same
cause. The diplomatic adjustments
upon which all nations have relied
were made long ago for huge world
of unknown vastness. The invention
Of steam has made it a small world.
The rules of the road no longer fit
The European war, with the wreck
Of three great world powers, also
caused a vast and dangerous shifting
of weight.
The immediate danger that con-
fronts the conference is the Japanese
American dispute. But always in the
shadows turks that greater danger of
a world war to come at some distant
day between Russia and England. The
events Of the conference must always
be read with that unspoken dread in
mind
We look to England to stand with
US in the Pacific as against the claims
of Japan. She may be willing to do
this because the pressure in that
direction is very strong from her col
onies. But she will mistakenly de-
mand that we make certain conces-l
sions in Europe to balance her conces-
sions in the Pacific.
To speak plainly, if we persuade her
to make scrap of paper of her treaty
with Japan it will only be on condi-
ton that we consent to conditions
that will safeguard her against Rus
STA in Europe.
The 'Anglo-Japanese treaty was
brought about by joint fear of Rus
STA. If England gives up this pro-
lection she naturally feels that she
should have equal protection in an
other quarter. In other words, she
made bargain with Japan to pin
Russia down on the Pacific, far away
from the khyber Pass. Her obvious
substitute is to use rehabilitated
Germany to pin Russia down to the
Baltic away from india. This and
the possession Of Constantinople are
the fundamentals Of the safety of the
British Empire.
In yielding our assent TO this de-
mand we would have to tread rough
shod over France, who sees her cX-
tinction as Il world power in the plan.
The mere statement of these COM
pleXities would seem to offer "a fine
program for a wholesale throat cut
ting.
Broadly speaking differences in in
terest can be adjusted, The only real
remedy is general alliance of some
sort that will be equivalent to world
The very changing conditions that
have upset the world have made
world government more nearly pos
siblc.
Steam has upset sociological eOndi-
tiops and turned diplomatic adjust.
mcnts upside down. But it has also
made world government definite
possibility.
Successful world government de-
ponds upon clear understandings.
Clear understanding depend upon
quick and ready means Of communi-
cation.
Vast worlds cannot be governed I'M
der single authority. Little worlds
can. Steam and electricity-the
steamship and the cable-have made
this a little world