The Washington herald., 1921-11-12
Cannot Trade at Trading Table.


- drawn many parallels between this Wash
ngton conference and the Paris peace con-
yention- They have overlooked, however, one
marked and very important Inference. The United
states takes to the opening session today definite,
nilly considered program. So far as the delegates
represent the judgment Of the American people,
they have formulated American desires, American
hopes and American purpose. They will work to a
concise, predetermined end
This governments greatest handicap will be
that it is the only at the trading table that
cannot trade. For three years the other four, or
eight, have been trading together, swapping back
and forth, demanding and concedng. Each one has
had regard only for its own interests but these
constantly have bump up against the interests
of others, compelling concessions compromises and
deals. Day after day, month after month, events
of themselves and situations induced by deliberate
acts, have brought those very critical conditions
which have seemed to foredoom breaks and maybe
war.
But they meant nothing of this sort These
men, trained in this school together understood
exactly political mechanics understand. There
was swift rapping Of knuckles, a slapping Of
wrists cracking of heads. Some backed up
a little, and some one else moved ahead. 1t a
constant succession of trades made by repre-
sentng governments, with the comparative GER
tainty that the trades would be confirmed, though
many of them did not need this.
These same men are here in Washington. Their
countries are bound by open and secret agree
ments. They all of the league of nations. They
live together as close neighbors, much if our
States were separate nations. Their interests and
trade are nterlocked. They must live together in
the one big household, as it were. They cannot off
with the old and on with the new, if they would.
They can take the United States into their number
with them They cannot we'll disband to come
under a new dispensation, into and strange
relation, to readust themselves to environ
nent and new rules and to undertake to reht
themselves as to their relative importance, and rank
with things long accomplished up for undoing.
This makes rather impractical a suggestion of
David Jayne Hill Mr.. Hill is bitter-ender of the
bitter-enders as to the league of nations. Yet he
now proposes what he calls Pacific entente y
based upon a statement of principles which, to be
binding on this country. must be approved by the
Senate; and if that august body would not consent
TO the larger association it certainly would not to
this smaller one which in mildly worded coven-
ant would set up another Of those bugaboos called
a "supersovereignty." Mr.. Hill limits his prin-
ciples to three statements:
l. All responsible sovereign states border
ing the Pacific Ocean arc invited to unite
in reciprocally recognizing their equal political
independence and territorial sovereignty;
?, Any act OF aggression against the
creign rights of any OF these states under in
ternatona law should be regarded of inter-
est to all of them
a. Each OF these states should have the
recognized right at any time to bring any case
of aggression to the notice of all the others,
and a council in which all should be equally
represented should freely express its opinion
regarding the rights involved.
These contain in tabloid form all the familiar
ills of that other covenant and do not in fact touch
the actual problems of the Far East, which are
wrapped up in natural resources and sources of raw
materials. If putting disarmament ahead of agree
rnents for peace, is putting the before the
horse, the situation would not be different in pro-
posing agreements to territorial integrity, ag-
erosion against sovereign rights and all the rest
ahead of settlement to the supreme needs
of Japan for the future development and national
growth.
All of which but illustrates that while the
United States has prepared program this time
it can trade here than at Paris. 1t can
make agreements here than there. 1t can
no more enter ententes than alliances-they are
practically synonymous-and an international pro-
gram with trading cut out is like banquet where
only the plates served.