The Washington herald., 1921-11-24

STRPEOPLE,SAYS
!iWM. ALLEN WHITE
Arms Conference Sets
,New Mark in Human
(, History.
By WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE.

oX "i6SAnH
To-day the American Thankssiv-
ids becomes a world event Never
bsfore, not even when our troops
lshided IN France. did the world feel
such brotherhood with America as
ID feels today. Our service In the
vprld war might easily have been
Wasted. had It not been followed
sJ this greater service which Amer
ica is giving the world today.
Until now the war has achieved
nothing. Hate and greed. suspicion
and deceit-the very things which
make war inevitable-have grown
since the war even more rank and
poisonous than they were before the
Wat. With tax burdens mounting
until citizens were crushed under
the tax weight, competitive arma-
nlent was piling on more taxes
made necessary by competitive ly-
ing, grabbing. and malice. The lep-
rosy of anarchy and famine was
whitening Europe with slow, sure
ptogress. Germany seemed about
to rot with Russia. with grave dan
ger in England and France.
High Impulses Return.
Then. came the American call
across. the world to stop the fes-
tiyal Of hate and to come and rea-
son together. The burial of the
unknown soldier and the Presidents
speech at his grave brought back
an the high impulses. the beautiful
spirit of self-sacrifies which inspired
men and nations during the war.
Then quickly. while those feelings
vAere still glowing in the nations
htart. came the Hughes proposals.
dAfnite, and lucid, and most salts
factory to any sane lover of peace.
The response over the world was
electric But II was, not a passing
impulse that cried in the roaring
Affirmative from humanity. 1t was
a a,cry Of relief that rose from mems
deeply grateful hearts For the first
time since He walked the planet. a
definite, reliable hope for peace on
earth among men OF good will was
set before man.
A. Great Event in History.
The thing that America has done
Is well comparable with the great
eyents of human history-the dis
SHFIAy VI Nhc ACNCA anu lhc "hccl
the organization of tribal govern
nent, the invention of the alpha
Bat the discovery of the art OF
ptfnting. the abolition of slavery
the discovery of steam, the Decla-
ration of Independence. And wha,
we have done depends very little
UPON the results of this particular
conference sitting in Washington
This conference may fail entirely
(which Is a gross improbability-
ard still the American proposal
will have its great place in human
history. For we have spoken a
Truth in the open and from a high
place, from the head of one Of the
great governments of the world
adding prestige to principle. And
I'M speaking we have given tn,
world a realizable hope, a hope def
uFely new and have pointed tn.
way straight to world peace. Il
this conference fails then from out
% the worlds aspiration will in.
etita bly, come another conference
atd still another, until the hope Is
rSalized. Such words as were
spoken in this challenge of the
-tmerican government to the civil
lited peoples of the earth will never
leave the hearts of men.
A. Proof Seen In Responses.
IThe proof OF this is found in tn.
way the diplomats at the conference
received the Hughes proposals. One
after another the representatives of
tHe great civilizations Of the earth
h3Stened to give their agreement
to the principles set forth in the
American challenge. 1t was a veri-
tsole cackle Of agreement. a sort
of'pentecost OF peace. Having once
accepted the principle. the rulers
agd diplomats and persons sitting
othe seats OF the mighty will not
be allowed by their common people
ID haggle Ions about details rhey
may escape this conference but
they will escape 1t into q wrath at
hons that will make them glad to
set into the next conference and
ssFee.
AS a matter Of recorded fact.
agreements have been reached here
upon matters as difficult and a.
practical as any now binding civili-
=stion 10 the old order.
Big Problems Solved.
China is TO be free from exploitA-
tien. The Pacific problems are
wen under way TO solution. Council
and srhitrament are succeeding as
nsver before have they succeeded in
the world. Men are displaying the
kind reasonableness as representa-
utes OF nations which for thou
sands OF years men have shown in
their private affairs. A new spirit
ls'cominS into the earth. It was for
this spiri, that the great war wa,
fought. This was the new heaven
and the new earth OF which we
dreamed amid the wrsck of war
For three years this spirit was DOR
msnt in the worlds heart America
called It ipto. use.
So today the American thanks
giSing and rejoicing all over the
esfth. II is the day which cele-
bretes the worlds greatest stride
toward the brotherhood OF man.
And among our other reasons for
gratitude today is the fact that op-
portunity has come to us, Of all the
peoples of the earth. TO lead man.
kind a little way toward what must
be the divine goal of the race. But
we should make our thanksgiyfnS z