The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-04-28

! ~ - $50 NHN 800 NAAN t-ioh
ter mind in first opening direct lines
of communication by telephone across
the American continent, gave notice
to the world that the use of the tele.
phone would mex be signalized be
tween the United States and South
America. Need the %chronicler of this
story add, that the president of the
United States and all of us lesser fix
ures stood awed at the stupendous
achievements in wireless wonder.
working as demonstrated by the
wizard Carly?
| President Harding parallels the per
Torrance of his predecessor in de
claring the open door" az The White
House, but in a good deal less than
a month he reached a substantial
agreement with the conclusions of Mr.
Wilson eight years ago, that 1t can't
be done" 1t is a fine democratic
spirit that prompts the desire of the
chief executive to see everybody.
DuI IHS lIoSCuy vi III oiIutliOl Il
that as soon as that fact becomes
known Mr.. Everybody shows up en.
tirely willing to fritter away the time
of the president. Then follows the
day when the presidents physician
and private secretary, and maybe his
wife, assert themselves. 1t is we'll that
there are such persons to protect our
president from those thousands Of
people who are themselves so selfish
and inconsiderate as to make it abso-
lutely essential to close the open
door"
After many years Of vehement dec.
laratlons to the effect that the United
States would not consent to being
held up by the government Of Colombia
Tor twenty millions Of dollars or any
other amount because Roosevelt
stole Panama. Our own senate has
adopted a conciliatory attitude, and
senator Lodge, foremost as ''Roose.
yelts friend has explained with
great care that the memory of the
ex-president will not be soiled in the
least by the ratification Of the famous
treaty, The memory of Colonel
Roosevelt having been satisfactorily
protected the balance of the Job that
has troubled Washington for so many
years seems simple. The nub of the
situation is expressed in the state.
ment by Senator Lodge that ratiica.
ton Of the treaty will improve rela-
lions between the United States and
Latin America, and that the world
situation regarding Oil seems very
strongly to justify, in fact, to demand,
the ratification" Reciting the fact
that very large oil fields are on the
verge of development in Venezuela |
and Colombia, he added: American
companies have already started in Co
lombia, but they will pass into the
hands of the powerful British com
bination if our people cannot at least
understand that they will Ibe pro-
tected against wrong and injustice if
they invest in countries other than
their own for the purpose of furnish.
ing the United States with oil and
helping commerce"
OF course, there isn't any super
fluffy of idealism in this kind of di.
plomacy; nevertheless it is If the
kind that reflects credit to New Eng.
lands reputation for practical rea-
soning." Diplomacy evidently has
pulled on it's neutrality-suspicious. and
proposes to explore the oil fields not
alone of Mexico and Colombia, but
it will likely investigate other gush,
ers, and try to gush as successfully
as have the English and other of our
European rivals for oil.
Ever since the building Of the APP,
plan Way the public money has been
sQuandered on roads. The greatest
ton Of the roads but in the lack OF
plans for their upkeep. Il know OF
nothing more shocking than the mil.
lions of public funds wasted in I'M
proved highways said the president
in his message, wasted because there
is no policy Of maintenance" Since
the advent Of automobiles road con
struction has been revolutionized I'm.
Stunts in democracy are always o
incident with new administrations.
til it has become a skilled art for
trained engineers, and the old time
road boss" has become almost ex
tinct. But the presidents warning in
dicates that we are still a long way
off from the right methods. Great
sections of the country, and this in
cludes portions of the District of Co
lumbia, have miles of roads that have1
hardly stayed in condition long enough
for the public officials to o. X. the
contractors original bills. 1t is prin-
,;nollxy oooipct fbic GLASS Of roads that