The New York herald., 1921-07-31
GIBBS Sees TURKEY,
RUSSIA And GERMANY
AS PEACE MENACES
Would Oyerwhelm Famine
Stricken Soviets With
Charity and Faith.
IRISH Comfy PRELUDE
Says Harding's Coming
Farley on Disarmament
Must Reckon With Them.
NEW LIGHT UPON GREEKS
Japan's Attitude Of Al0ofness
Would Vanish With Recla-
nation Of the Slavs.
IRISH Comfy PRELUDE
NEW LIGHT UPON GREEKS
BY SIR PHILIP GIBBS.

By SIR PHILIP GIBBS.
Special Cable to THE NEW York HERALD.
| Copyright, 1921, by The New YORK HERALD
LONDON, July 80. - The centre OF
the worlds stage will be Washington
when President Harding receives the
delegates of the allied Powers for
conference on the possibilities of ar
ranging something like universal
peace at least for generation or so.
That is going to be great adven-
ture. Upon its success or failure will
hang the hopes Of millions Of no
bodies who will have no voice In its
deliberations and who will be repre-
sented by men of whose wisdom they
are not certain. That Is inevitable,
for no system has yet been devised
by humanity to insure its highest
aspirations that shall be interpreted
by diplomats.
These millions of nobodies. how
ever, won't be altogether without
influence, for Washington will be
like wireless station vibrating with
spiritual messages from all parts Of
the world, with queer little prayers
from unknown women and children,
with agonized entreaties from many
stricken souls. If the statesmen In
conference will listen to something
beyond the sound Of their own voices
they will hear the murmur Of spirit
ual waves beating upon their council
chamber and coming from the hearts
of humanity. For all history in its
struggle forward through wars and
racial rivalries leads up to that con-
ference, and the future human family
will be shaped for good or for III by
it's decision of wisdom or folly.
Now, what are its chances Of real
achievement? That will depend a
good deal on what is done during the
next few months to clear UP outstand-
ing troubles. 1t Is for that reason.
as others have pointed out. that
peace in Ireland will In all likelihood
be made If 1t is ever possible. Brit
ish statesmen cannot go to Washing
ton with any confidence to discuss
world peace II they have failed to
stop a civil war among their own
peoples. That confession of failure
would be intolerable and would make
them laughing stocks before the
whole world.
Despite the enormous difficulties
in principle and detail due to Ulster
traditions and stubborn egoism, as
well as Sim Fein fanaticism on
points Of pride, II Is almost certain
now that peace will prevail In Ire
land by the surrender Of extremists
on all sides to a reasonable compro-
mise. Eamon de Valera and Premier
Lloyd George are not divided now by
more than minor differences. and it
Is up to the Irish people themselves,
north and south, to build the bridge.
If they have any sanity or patriotism
they will do so without surrender of
liberty or honor. With that old
wound healed, at last Great Britain
may send her men to Washington
with a clean bill of health ready to
support all proposals for gradual
disarmament without reservations
because our actual interests as well
as our national ideal are absolutely
bound up with the need of peace.
Cannot Afford More War.
Our future depends upon European
peace, for 1t is a plain, brutal fact
that we cannot afford more war and
our people won't have more war
From our side President Harding
will find no trouble. France Is the
one nation In Europe which will &c
to that conference with clear cut res
ervations on military policy. She
has no intention whatever of reduc
ing the strength Of her STANDING
army until she feels safe agains,
future aggression, and in the present
condition Of Europe that safety is no,
|, assured. 1t won't be assured, in the
opinion Of the majority of the French
people, until Poland Is strong and
prosperous. until Germany is per
manently disarmed by the loss of her
, potential arsenals in Upper Silesis
and Westphalia, and until the men
ace Of a military combination be
tween Russia and Germany is ruled
out by some miracle not yet foreseen
1t must be acknowledged. therefore
that France will not go into any con-
ference for peace discussions which
are likely to weaken her means of
self defence. In n recent article I
have elaborated on the French point
Of view and need not deal with that
again except to quote a tentence In a
letter from a distinguished French
publicist which I have just received
summing up the general conviction OF
his people.
we would rather not be paid by
Germany" he writes. than run the
risk OF a new war. Therefore we in
sist that Poland our ally, shall be
satisfied In Upper Silesia according TO
the peace treaty. and so take from
Germany her chief source of manufac-
ture Of armaments. with which they