The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-18
DEEPLY CONCERNED OVER TRADE AND FINANCE CONDITIONS
Pact of 1904, Arms Meet :
Prececent, Points Solution
Continued from Page oms.

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Continued from Page One.
The league OF nations has failed,
in so far as It has failed because
1t undertook to defend and pre-
serve conditions which could only
be preserved by force. The Anglo
French entente Of 1904 succeeded
and expanded because It was pre-
coded by a general liquidation OF
outstanding causes of dispute be-
tween the parties at interest. The
treaty of Washington and the as
ISOLATION of four nations, which 1t
has provided, as well as the asso-
citation Of nine nations, which
seems assured by a treaty Which is
still to take definite form. seems
distined to succeed. because 1t Is
founded upon q free-will recogni-
tion on the part of all concerned
OF things a. they sxist In the Pa
cine at the present hour.
1t Is plain that every great power
In the world, and each small ma
ton. as well, has the most impress
sive reasons for desiring not only a
new conference, at which economic,
IL not political, problems of the
world may be discussed. but some
association of nations which will
make cooperation In world recon
struction possible. 1t Is clear tina:
the league Of nations, as II is at
present constituted. can not be tao
meeting place OF such a conference,
for at least one great power. whose
presence Is vital to the discussion
of all economic issues. is not a
member and can not be a membe
in time.
Peace Desire Necessary.
But 1t is hardly less clear that no
world organization can undertake
to preserve peace as between
France and Germany. Italy anu
Jugo-Slavia, Poland and Russia
World peace must. in the long run
be pred!cated upon the existence OF
such an effective desire for peace
between each set of rivals that they
are prepared to join in voluntary
membership in world orKaniza-
ton. having mutually recognized as
permanent and beyond challenge
the territorial condition and the
political Institutions OF the other.
So far as existing Anglo-French
rivalries are directly concerned
France and Britain could sign a
new entente today: the same is true
OF France and Italy. OF the United
States and all three and Japan q,
well. II there were any way OF
bringing France and Germany to a
similar recognition of the existing
situation or OF some compromise
situation, we might have new
conference without delay and q
new association OF nations with.
out long postponement. The trou,
BILE Is that no one has yet found a
way to bring about a compromise
Conceivably such a compromise
might be found in a new economic
conference such as is now being
generally discussed. Certainly the
experiment will have to be tried
before long. IL general economic
collapse on the continent of Eu-
rope is to be avoided. But what mus,
be appreciated now in this country
II later disappointments are to be
avoided is that the truth about the
Washington conference is not thai
there has been discovered in IL q
new international method to pre-
tually concerned. To go back tC
tnt case VI the VI low
France and Britain had been quar-
relins for a generation all over thu
world about frontiers and sphere:
OF interest. but after they hac
drawn and accepted compromise
lines we had a full decade without
a single serious discussion.
Again. no association Is possible
which has for its main or for one
OF its chief duties the maintenance
OF some status quo against the will
OF a nation not belonging to the as
ISOLATION. Such an association is
in fact. nothing more nor less than
an outright alliance. 1t is COM
bination OF powers against an out
side party. whether the thing that
1t seeks to maintain is just or un
Just. II 1t is weak it will be at
tackled. II It is strong II must pre-
serve its strength against possible
attack.
All Must BE Present.
Is there any chance OF success
for any conference, for any applica-
ton of the conference idea in the
existing situation in Europe? Again.
the fact is clear, II Europe can not
come to terms with itself its doom
Is sealed. But no, conference can
succeed X only q portion OF the
great powers are represented; II for
example. France, Britain and Italy