The Mena weekly star., 1921-12-15

phasis it is continually putting on that word conference, to confer in- stead of going to war; get together and talk things over. That is the moral contribution the conference is making as a corollary to the physical contribution of reduced naval strength and expenditures.
 But in the paens of peace and thanksgiving that are apt to be over. done following a history making word session like that of today, when im- aginations became too sensitive and avoid concrete realities, already the inquiring voice is beginning to be heard here. Has the United States, in the treaty it has signed today for he Pacific, done that thing which is refused to do in the case of Europe?
 After rejecting the league and the handicraft of MT. Wilson, has this country taken the same thing from the hands of Mir. Harding and MT. Hughes?
 The leaguers, who want a moral victory, may say so. There is certain to be an amount of opposition to this treaty and objectors to it will say so. It is a question each American will have to answer for himself.
 Comparing the Articles.
 Article 10 of the league covenant and article of the Pacific treat virtually are brought together for comparison. MT. Lodge and the Re- publicans, including Mir. Harding, re- ,iected article 10. MT. Lodge and the Republican administration now pro- pose article 2. It is easy to say they embody the same general prin- ciple They do and they do not. The distinction is that article 10 pledged this nation to preserve boundaries. Article pledges this nation to con- ference for joint or separate action. But it carries no impelling obligation, moral or legal, to use force.
 As the two articles, in public dis cussion that will follow, unquestion. ably will be discussed together, it is well to state that exact language. Article 10 of the rejected league cov- enant provides:
 "The members of the league un-
 dertake to respect and preserve as
 against external aggregation the
 territorial integrity and existing
 political independence of all mem-
 bers of the league. In case of any
 such aggression or in case of any
 threat or danger of such aggres-
 sion the council shall advise upon
 the means by which this obligation
 shall be fulfilled.
 Article of the new treaty pro- vides:
 If the said rights are threat
 ened by he aggressive action of any
 other power, the high contracting
 parties (the United States, Japan
 Great Britain and France) shall
 communicate with one another
 fully and frankly in order to ar
 rive at an understanding as to the
 most efficient measure to be taken jointly or separately to meet the
 exigencies of the particular situa-
 ton"
 No Military Sanctions Turk"
 As pointed out, a person is entitled to draw his own conclusions, but there is no escaping the fact that the pledge under the Pacific treaty is con- fined to conference" It stops there Moreover, expressly disclaimed any military or naval sanctions "lurked behind the agreement.
 British Diplomacy Wins.
 Britain was in a deep hole in this conference. She desired to rid herself of the Anglo-Japanese alliance, whicl had become distasteful to her. But she did not want to offend Japan or aci unsportsmanlike by tossing aside a