New-York tribune., 1921-10-31

My reference to the league In thi,
connection, however, isn't to assess it's
value, but to show that it would be
futile to bring before it the subject
matters to be discussed at Washington.
1t would probably utterly destroy the
league if it should assume, either in
the council or the assembly, to deal
with authority on the subject of naval
disarmament on any vital issuc relat-
ing to the Pacific which is to be dis
cussed in Washington.
In conclusion of this point it should
be clearly understood that the problems
to be solved in Washington are neither
conflicts to be settled through the in
tervention Of force by other nations
nor justiciablc questions to be de-
termincd by the application of law.
they arc matters which the League of
Nations hasn't the slightest compe-
tency to deal with; yet they are prob
lens of the utmost gravity, in which
the nations bordering on the Pacific arc
specially concerned.
Problems Involve Half
Population of the Globe
Consider for momcr. what the
nature of these problems is. These ma
tons IN the aggregate constitute per-
haps half the population of the globe.
Thr2 encircle the most cxpard d Of all
80
populate islands that spread on its sur
facc-one, at least, possessing the area
OF continent. They constitute tho
bridge and piers that furnish it's naval
and cable stations. The shores of these
islands are peopled with different races
The yellow race predominates. Some
F, OF its members are pacific, to a degree
that renders them an easy prev to the
domination of armed fore. But there
are also great military establishments
with inexhaustible resources, human
and material, for their indefinite in
| crease on the shores of that vast sweep
Of waters. Tho most ancient art of
these people is navigation. Some of
them are almost literally children of
the sea. These races have their legiti-
mate aspirations-industrial, CONNER
cial and political. What will happen
on the Pacific and its borders in COM
ing years? Is that ocean to be conse-
Grated to peace or first be the scene of
racial and economic strife?
These questions may seem small in
the eyes of Europe, but they look large
as seen in Washington, Toxic, Ottawa
and Sydney. Europe is preoccupied
with little boundary disputes and new
born nationalistic ambitions. There is
one single city which presents a prob
lem before which, after many weary
months of devoted effort to reconcile
conflicting claims, tho League Of Ma
tions is compelled to fold its hands in
impotence and wait. I will not speak
OF refractory Hungary, mutiliated Aus
tria, belligercnt Turkey, aggressive
Serbia, menaced Albania, adventurous
Greece or problematic Upper Silesia
But it is not impertinent to ask the
W
Nations do with the problems Of the
Pacific, on whose expansive bosom the
whole Continent of Europe might rest
as an isolated island?
The conference in Washington, I con-
clude, is an immediate and urgent
necessity to the wellbeing of the
world. Having, as | believe, estab-
}ished this, in subsequent articles Of
this series I will speak-bound by no
official restraint or responsibility
without Gear and, trust, without
ground for just reproach-of the aims
and methods of the conference, its
special problems, the national policies
Of the countries that will be repre-
sented in che deliberations and the part
that may be taken by my own country
as the faithful servant Of civilization
md honOrahle ueoca