Great Falls tribune., 1921-02-21
HIS ADVISERS
DECRY LOOSE
TALK Of WAR
President-Elect Is Scan
ing Horizon for Good
Man on Toxic Job.
Regards Mission Most
Delicate Diplomatic
Post at This Time.
BY ROBERT i. SMALL

BY ROBERT r. SMALL
Copyright 1921, by The Tribune.)
st. Augustine. Fla, Feb 2O.-Pres.
ident- elect Harding has told some OF
MS intimate advisers that he feels the
most pressing International question
which will confront his administration
Will have to do with the future relation
snip between this country and Japan.
it would not be stating the case ex-
acty to say that Mr.. Harding is alarm
cd over what might be called the
loose talk" being INDUCED in as to the
possibility of war between the two
countries, but he is genuinely con-
cerned and viii make valiant effort
TO bring about an era of definite un-
derstanding. and friendship. Loose
talk is phrase much used by Charles
Evans Hughes, who has been formally
rendered and has accepted the post of
secretary of state, and Mr.. Hughes
may likewise be said to feel no little
worry as to the mischief '1oose talk
sometimes accomplishes.
Toxic Post at Top.
Mr.. Harding regards the ambassa-
dorship to Toxic as the most import
ant and delicate mission at this time
in the American diplomatic service.
He has been casting about to obtain as
his personal representative and envoy
in Japan q man tried in the fire Of
diplomatic experience, man calculat-
ed to keep his head at all times and |
to make no slip or blunder to cause
further embarrassments. Henry p.
Fletcher Of Pennsylvania, former am
bassador to Mexico, may be the man
chosen ultimately for the place.
Mr.. Fletcher accompanied Mr.. Hard !
ing on his houseboat cruise down In
dian river and back and it has been i
generally supposed that this would |
mean a call would be made upon the
former diplomats services. Senator
Harding, Of course, does not commit
himself on matters of this kind until
the hour for making the appointment
draws near.
Discuss War Causes.
During the discussion concerning an
association of nations and the steps
which might be taken looking to the
prevention Of future wars the presi-
dent-elect heard many interesting
ideas and explanations as to how wars
are brought about.
They indicated that the way of pre-
vention necessarily involves study of
war causes as revealed by the more
intimate history of the world. This
was particularly true at the time Col
onel George Harvey was urging as a
war panacea the William Jennings
Bryan suggestion that referendum
vote be taken among the people before
war of aggression could be declared.
The plan fell through when Mr.. Hard
ing was convinced by many arguments
that wars come upon a people over
night and that there never has been an
admitted war of aggression in the en-
tire history of the world.
Ao<;oo rn~oc E;re%
Always wars have been fought for {
dsts Msd1s Or dd no haEs e
20 back of 1914 for an example on
this fact. Germany always has claim r
cd that she plunged through neutral t
Belgium to strike at unprepared S
France to protect the Fatherland from d
certain and unjust assault. q
1t was recalled to Senator Harding &
that Japan had sunk virtually half of |.
the Russian fleet before formal war T
was declared in 1905. Thus, when a 2
nation that is prepared, reaches the T
military action first and attempted
justification later. N
Stnator James A. Reed, Democrat,
of Missouri, gave the president-elec
one of the most interesting talks on 6
war tauses Of any of the "best minds" I,
He rbinted out, for instance, that while -
acts pf war come with the swiftness -
of Lightning strokes, the causes of war ~
may le far in the remote past and may d,
be suh a slow growth as to be almost ta
impeneptible until the storm clouds n,
suddely efface the sun of peace. n, n,
Talk Breeds War. th
One of the outstanding causes of 10
war, Etsaid, was the struggle of an CO
overcroNed nation to find a place in
the sunfor it's people. An almost y
equally solific cause of war, Mr.. dl
Reed poted out, is constant talk of an
war. IMlnations begin to talk about tlt
the possibly Of armed forces. The LIZ
talk may Mount to so little at first 20
as to attrt no attention whatsoever st
but as theyears 60 by the talk in en-
creases. fAlly the situation reaches III
a stage whS words if uttered care wi
lessly, wouideuse harm. The words.
taken up by pusands Of parties and tn
repeated uhtha point is reached tn
where eacn. l1onor bound, feels it ito
duty to a.taeEhe other, regardless
of past friends\s and close associa-
tions. ~
The sltuallone etween the United on,
embraces the twNypotheses of war tnl
laid down by Sensr Reed Jonan ;s am
oyercrowded and In mns+ oaihn sap1, 40 20 ito
outlet for her suSs no1. nonnlat;an strn az reI
lands where they 1;vo popo,u,,"1 contn"toa1n IN
and prosperOusly. oe'
This, Of course, i,,.,.s enc
.,ora md NAV or tpah problem the
aAons not concern 500