Evening star., 1921-05-27
Editorial Digest
"A Mandate TO Disarm. "

"A Mandate to Disarm."
With administration opposition TO
tho Rorah disarmament amendment
removed the newspapers Of the eeuh-
try. with almost one voice, acclaim
Senator Borah's resolution as n man
date from the peepis" to the Free!-
dent to take the first step toward
checking the nava! rncs which many
teel IL leading the nations to another
war. While some of the anti-ndmin-
t:tra'!nn editors look upon tho change
II the aSt!ta.la ct tle White House ns
>. ''"f@at' for Harding. most writer's
profess 20 see IN !. 10 real change OF
policy.
~" better news has come from
"nshihEtnn, SAYS the New York Mail
itndrpe"orno. thun the assurance OF
luton. for tho people Of the nation
want to sec tho world disarm." and 1t
IL this Overwhelming feeling" as the
Pittsburgh Dispatch Independently
calls it. that overcamc the opposition;
Thus. the Louisville courier-Journal
(democratic) points out that:
"symbolically the Bornh amend
ment Is mandate to the President
from the people requesting him to do
his utmost IN bringing about the flrst
step in disarmamcnt-the Limitation
OF the naval sea power Of the three
great naval countries"
Indeed. the run Of popular sent!,
ment." the Syracuse Post STANDARD
(rerublican) believes, has become so
strong that 1t cannot be stemmed."
and the Euffslo News (republican>
adds. .'all thinking men" recognizing
the fact that reduction of armament
must begin at once" The News con-
tirues:
The handwriting on the wall Is
plain; either we must declare naval
holiday or there will be another war
This is not matter of speculation; It
is u conclusion founded on an age
old fact. In the circumstances It is
eminently right that Christian folk
should protest.
Unless we hide the mat ohes mankind
will get burned. seems to be the opln-
ion Of the San Francisco Chronicle
(independent). for 1t believes that
human nature being what 1t Is. there
Is no assurance against war except
inability to fight in any way and
meanwhile the question OF taxes ls
not to he ignored. Every taxpayer
in the country" should favor the
Rorah resolution. the Baltimore Sun
independent democratic) urges. Tor
it is a step. the Dallas Journal fnde-
pendent democratic| believes. toWArm
easing the tax-burdened world
Thus it's support nv President Hard
ing, the st. Paul News independently
feels is not only good statesman
shin" but good politics"
Various explanations OF the notives
behind the alleged change of front or
the admin; stration are given by the
different writer's. Many agree with
the Grand Ranids Herald .trepunii,
can) that President Harding opposed
the measure at first mot from hostil-
itv TO the basic aim" but desire ITO
he free-handed," and the passage OF
tho resolution now simply strength
e,s the Presidents position. The
Eew York Globe fndenendenD points
70 the passing of the tension over
Germany and the closer association
of America with the allies" as remov-
ing obstacles and allowing the Presi-
dent to feel freer ito act upon con-
v'ctions with which he has been cred
ited for some time" To the Norfolk
Vireiniar PLOT independent demo-
craticI it is simply "a concession to
nation wide sentiment for naval re-
dnction as means to lessen the men
ace of war and the burden OF taxa
ton" sentiment which is daily as
suming larger proportions Now.
the Now York Post Independently be
lieves, "the President has definitely
aligned himself with those who favor
prompt action to reduce the burden
Of naval armaments," and predicts
that he may soon call the conference
which the world will hail with re-
joicing."
The Knoxville Sentinel Independent
democratic) looks upon winning over
the President" as "a notable victory"
for Senator Borah. as does the Cfat-
tanooga Times independent demo-
cratic), which suggests that the ad-
ministration is either thus defeated
or else it has acquired cold feet,
and this it takes as sign that party
fatal mistake that was made"by re-
fusing the covenants Of the LEAGUE Of
nations in which, full pr2visions were
made for disarrhament'c Holding a
similar belief. but granting that
Borah's "aim buiks larger than his
method" the Charleston News and
Courier (democratic) remarks that
Certainly his way is not nearly so
good as the league Of nations way.
which he opposed" However. the
project coming from Borah." "is a
great concession to the principle Of
associated action by the nations" in
the eyes Of the indianapolis News -
dependenO. To the Roanoke We19-
News fdemocratic) the senator's pNa1
is an instrument that can do almost
as much to insure world peace" as
the league. while the Dayton News
fdemocratic) considers it utterly
hopeless. even though desirable"
The Philadelphia Public Ledger (in-
dcpendent) considers the amendment
not particularly important" but ad-
mits that when and II" disarmament
comes. it will be by Just such slow
steps. truces and compromises. I"
on with our naval program" The
Mobile Register (democratic). too.
feels sure that there will be no slack
ening in our defensive preparations"
and "if paper concession will placate
Borah, perhaps the republican sup
porters of the administration think
they have made a good bargain for
the President"
What Difference Does It Make?
Maybe deep and subtle Importance
attaches to the question whether the
neace resolutiop should he pasaed hv