Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-11

wv ASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. 6.-Some
wv time this year, probably on NoVem-
Der II, the anniversary of the sign
ing of the Armistice, the great powers OF the
world will confer in Washington to see ii it
is possible for them to put an end to the
squandering of money for building up huge
armies and navies for protection against
each other, or for aggression against their
neighbors. Boiled down to it's essentials, the
conference will determine whether the peo-
pies of the world, burdened and grooming
under the debt of the great war, with indus
tries slowed down or stopped, credit strained
and money values far below par, will live
together in amity henceforth or whether the
old systems of diplomatic intrigues, alliances,
large standing armies, enormous navies and
consequently tremendous expenditures and
taxes, will go on until civilization ends IN
bankruptcy and chaos.
1t is generally conceded that President
Harding chose the psychological time for pro-
posing the disarmament conference. The
nations of Europe, and Japan, the one big
power of the East, would have paid scant at
tention at any other time. But England,
and France, and other European nations are
staggering under enormous debts, unable to
pay even the interest on their foreign obli-
| cations, and public opinion as well as COM
mon business sense force their attention.
| Japan is in far better economical condition,
her losses during the war being not drop
| in the bucket compared to the men, NUM-
| tionsa and money thrown in the ravenous
| Jaws OIL the dragon OIL war ny Lu0 OIuSI 6ilo-
mics of the Central Powers. Japan's acqui-
escence followed the realization that world
| opinion would single her out as the one OBJ
| structing power bent on conquest and expan-
| sion by force OF arms.
The attention of the public is now turning
! toward whether the trained diplomats of
! other lands are to use their cunning and de-
| vious methods in Washington as they did at
Versailles, to give the appearance of striving
hard to reach a basis of peaceful settlement
| of all international troubles, but at the same
| time reserving and holding special advantages
| for their nations which would in effect NULL
| fly the whole plan.
Peace Treaty Intrigue
1t is no secret now how the League of
| Nations plan crhmpled and collapsed. For
mer President Wilson, his mind set on the
| acceptance of his scheme, was played upon
| by the premiers of Europe and Japan until,
| to get their support, concessions had to be
| made to each of them. Great Britain de-
manded separate representation for each OF
| her overseas dominions, and got that we'll
as other advantages. France showed what
| she really thought of the League plan by in
sisting on the acceptance of an alliance with
| Great Britain and the United States in addl-
| ton to membership in the League as protec-
ton in the future against Germany. Japan
demanded and got the Shantung settlement
as her price.
The whisperings and underground rustlings
| of diplomatic intrigue can already be dis
! CSrnSu, although LuS COulSIS1lCe rs ldI away :
| 1t is reported that Secretary of State
Hughes has found it necessary to address an
| informal but strongly -Worded memorandum
| to the embassy of one of the big powers
warning it that bargains and trades and sub
| rosa work is not to be tolerated.
President Harding has set his hand to the
plough in this task and has repeatedly given
public utterance to his intention to see it
| through Without doubt Secretary Hughes,
| we'll equipped for the task, will be the 5pokes-
man and representative of the American Gov
eminent at the disarmament conference.
| In effect, President Harding has taken the
nations of the world>as being but people in
small community%people who have from
the dawn of time been pickering and fight
| ing and stealing from each other, encroach-
ing on each others lots, breaking each
others windows, and refusing to pay the gro
Ger on the corner for what they eat. Many
| of them are in the position of having bor-
that they cannot meet their notes.
! If neighbors in a village acted as history
| records the actions of nations, they would be
! thrown into Jail or ridden out of town a
| fence rail. In the past it has been the uni
| versal custom for nations. strong and rich,
| to OverpoWer and make subject to them their
weaker neighbors. Nearly every civilization
has spread itself by conquest and arms Had
Germany and it's allies won, the old story I'M
doubtedly would have been repeated.
A thousand and one separate interests will
have to be moulded and shaped toward a
common end when the disarmament confer