Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1921-12-08
AMERICA HAS NO
AXES TO GRIND
HER ATTITUDE IN ARMAMENT
CONFERENCE Is UNsELFIsH,
HER DESIRES BENEFlcENT.
OTHER NATIONS KNOW THIS
Basic Reason for Calling of the Meet
ing ls Economic and 1t Will Really
Be Business Procedure to Cut Down
the Expenditures of the Nations.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

to secure lasting peace, the motives
FOR the calling Of the arms limitation
conference are in the largest sense
economic. President Harding, and OF
course millions with him, recognized
the generally frightful conditions
which exist all over the world. He
believed that he had some influence
and some power which might make
for the relief Of these conditions.
Therefore the great nations of the
world were invited to send represen-
tatives to Washington on Armistice
day to give consideration to means by
which the worlds ornaments can be
cut. As a preliminary to the limita-
ton of ornaments, it is known that
the problems of the Far East must
be solved. Therefore the two great
matters were combined in the call for
the conference.
The basic reason, aside from any
consideration Of peace on earth, good
will toward men, for the calling Of
the conference on the limitation of
ornaments, is that the money which
the peoples of earth are providing to
XIII their fellows may be turned into
the channels of benSfcent trade and
benefcent living.
There Is every reason to know that
the administration plus the State de-
partment, which is of course a part
Of 1t, is firm today in its conviction
that something strong and good is
to be the result of the comforting to-
gether Of men who virtually have
plenipotentiary powers. These powers
are plenipotentiary today because they
come from the people of the world
rather than from the politicians
thereof. The time Is past when the
foreign offices or any officials of gov
eminent can work their will without
regard to the masses of the people.
America Has No Selfish Aim.
In the conference which began
nominally on the eleventh, but in fact
on the fourteenth of this month, the
representatives Of the United States
will sit free from any anxieties con-
corning failure to secure this or that
which may work to the selfish ad-
vantage Of their country. All that
they will want is the settlement of
the Far East problems and the limita-
ton Of ornaments ON an equitable
basis.
The cOnferees in behalf of the other
nations know already that the United
States wants nothing in the way of
territory, nothing in the way Of ex-
elusive trade, and nothing which will
work wrong to any other nation on
earth.
1--WE want nothing that they right
fully have, but they cannot have any
thing that rightfully belongs to u.s." In
the quoted paragraph perhaps is to
be found a short statement of the
exact position of the United States In
entering into the conference.
When 1t is said that the United
States will not surrender anything
that 1t has, it of course is meant, that
1t will not give up anything which It
considers vital to the interests of its
people but it does not mean that
the United States will not yield in
matters upon which 1t has seemingly
fixed judgment, provided there is GER
tainty of yielding on the part Of
others
1t can be deduced readily enough
from everything which has been said
or intimated by the administration
through its various channels of vocal
approach to the people, that the situa-
ton from the American viewpoint is :
I'VE have no axes to grind, no grudges
to settle, no scores to even; our de-
sires are benefcent; let them be met
in like spirit"
Business, Not Sentiment, to Rule,
1t might be just as we'll for the
American people to know that there
Is no illusion in Washington that
everything to be done. at the confer
ence is to be done because of the
dictates Of friendship and good will
Not a nation is represented which
will not have in mind the selfish in
terests Of its people, their jealousies
and pretty fair understanding NJ
Just how much its people will stand
FOR in the way of yielding, and also |
let 1t be said in the way of pressing.
The conference in the highest sense
IS a business procedure. An agree
nent for the limitation Of armaments
Is a business matter. 1t is a financial |
matter. Figures are cold, but figures
money figures, are dominating factors
n the limitation Of ornaments probIeD,
which is to be solved.
OF course the entire navy program
If no nation will be blue-penciled IN
very line. Every great nation which
las a sea coast will have something
" navy. Great Britain's navy of the
'uture, and the navies Of japan and
he United States, will be nayies NJ
iize; but all things are comparative
md If the cutting comes 1t viii be
ieep cutting and a cutting which fbe
'eOple viii say probably is we'll done.
MANY FoFatun lotsrnalip4.