New-York tribune., 1921-11-17

supreme and exclusive economic con-
troll over important and vital parts of
the Chinese Empire. We learn of the
construction of a new naval base at a
point imperiled by no conceivable en-
emy. We are recommended to forego
the fortification of any of the islands
possessed by the United States on the
ocean pathway to the Far East When
we open the map of Asia and regard it
as a whole we discover that from Con-
stantinople to Kiao-Chau there is not
one nation that is capable of resisting
the will of this imperial alliance. En-
pires have vanished from Europe, but
Asia has become the joint possession
of the two survivors in the world.
Has America any interest in this
Yesterday we were raising armies to
combat imperialism. To-day we are
assigning to an imperial alliance if it
is to endure, twice the naval strength
which we shall possess, or in any con-
tingency may be allowed to possess. If
the existing order is unchanged the
United States is renouncing its lead
ership and putting it into the hands of
maritime powers that may at any mo-
ment declare a zone blockade on the
Pacific Ocean that would shut off our
If I have cited some agitating facts
1 have done SO in no spirit of antaco-
nism to either of these imperial pow
ers. On the contrary, l recognize fully
that the British Empire has accom-
plished in the world a great work OF
civilization. | cannot blame Japan for
doing what every European nation has
done in extending European domain
over Asia, or for resisting the furthe,
encroachment of that policy by the
European powers that menaced he1
very existence. She was right in re-
sisting Russia and expelling Germany
from Shantung, and until her national
necessities are recognized and provided
for. she has right to claim, and will
claim, that she is justified in following
the path Of armed penetration.
What the American people should de-
mand is that imperial policy must be
changed if the United States is to be
counted upon not to oppose it with a
different policy. There is no good rea-
son for any military alliance on the
borders of the Pacific. Military alli-
ances contemplate war. There is NO
good reason for contemplating war. We
should contemplate peace, and make ar
rangements for peace. In brief, there
should be no political compact regard
ing the Pacific in which the United
States, in consistency with its princi
pies of constitutional democracy, can
not have an equal place; and upon this
policy our government should straight,
way insist.
Such a policy would involve:
IA pledge to maintain the terri
torial and administrative entity OF
China.
2-An abandonment of every form OF
military alliance in the Far East.
"a recognition of the open door OF
trade on equal terms.
Respect for the equal sovereignty
of all responsible states, with their
right to choose and maintain their own
form Of government.
5--The formation Of q permanent
council, virtual projection and con-
tinuance of the conference itself, in
which every independent state border
ing on the Pacific Ocean should have
equal representation, and before which
any injured nation could freely bring
its case for consultation and advice
The safety of each lies in the interest
and influence of all.
Dedicated to such policy the re-
duction of naval armament becomes
more than a mere economic expedient
1t would afford the basis Of security
and peace. Without an understanding
it would leave the existing order" pre-
cisely what it is to-day.
The American people were indig-
nant at the betrayal of China at Paris
1t will not do to say that China is toe
weak and too divided to be deserving
of consideration. All republics are
weak and divided in their beginnings
We were ourselves weak and divided
in what our historians have called the
Critical period" when all Europe
prophesied our downfall. Nothing
saved us but our constitution, which
placed the rights Of man in the fore
ground and organized q means Of de-
tending them by legislative limitations
and judicial supervision. These, ii
applied, can save the weakest denoc-
racy, if its neighbors will let it alone.
And they will save civilization also,
if Internationally applied. Deep down
under all the rubbish the real issue in
this conference and in every other is
the supremacy of constitutional de-
rnocracy. on the one hand and the
domination of dynastic or ECONOMIC
i'm ne riaIism IN the othev