Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-11-01
Arms Meet
ill Tes..
WorldFaith
Coming Conference to Meas.
, urc Governments Capacity
To Satisfy Universal Long.
ing, Says George Harvey.
British Help Is Praised

LONDON, oct. ol.-George Harvey
American ambassador speaking to
night at the dinner given by tn
Pilgrims society TO the Britis
delegates to the Washington con
ference. heralded the conference 4
IAN ordeal, not Of battle but O
faith" the underlying purpose o
which was no more a challenge (,
the league OF nations than it was Il
the Monroe doctrine.
He reviewed the action OF tn
American congress respecting tn
limitation OF the army and the re
duction of naval appropriations
which he said gave conclusive evi
dence of the American government
confidence in the outcome of the con
ference.
"The real question confronting thu
conference is whether the nation,
can reach an understanding with re-
spect to anything" he said. at i.
to be great test OF the capacity O
governments to satisfy the universe
longing for peace, prosperity ant
happiness"
Praises British Stand.
II cannot permit to pass this op.
portunity to make on behalf of my
country" he said. "due acknowledg.
ment of the greatly generous way in
which. unfailingly and with charac.
teristic promptitude, the decision oil
the prime minister accorded whole
hearted support of the brave initia.
tive of the president. /, Never can
forget that peaceful Sunday in July
when l found Mr.. Lloyd George
seated under the trees on his country
place. Quietly he asked, what is it?'
| drew a cablegram from my pocket
and held it toward him.
Read it, said. He did so. 1t
was the message from the secretary
of state announcing the intention of
the president to summon a confer
ence Of nations and asking if such
a move would meet with the appro-
baton of the British government.
I'm flash the premier was on MS
feet.
eve accept he almost shouted.
we accept gladly; we accept CRATE
fully. We will do everything in our
power to make the conference a
great susecss.
Has Kept His Pledge.
"That is the pledge he gave and
which he has kept to this evening,
when his heart is heavy from apprc-
hension and the performance of a
more urgent duty may prevent him
from affording,yat the beginning, the
helpfulness of the great and uncx-
ampled prestige which can be fully
rendered only through the actual
presence of so vivid personality"
The ambassador told of the de-
livery of the invitation to Lord Cur
zon, minister for foreign affairs, and
the ambassadors call for the reply
which had been drafted with the con-
ventional opening, "the British gov
crnment confirm their acceptance,
etc.
Lord Curzon," said Colonel tiar-
vey. "read the answer and remarked:
This does not suffice Then he
wrote in: With the greatest salts
faction.'"
The ambassador said that when
Lord Robert Cecil perceived in this
conference no challenge to the
league of nations he evinced "accur-
ate discernment," and the ambassa-
dor echoed Lord Bryce's assertion
that it was impossible to overrare
the fervor and hope with which the
conference was regarded in America
and that America was not disposed
to stand aloof from old world affairs.
Viscount Grey was no less generous
than he was just, the speaker con-
tinued, when he declared his belief
that the American government was
sincere and single-minded and
worthy of the absolute trust of all
other nations.
u. S. Position Is Plain.
"Our own position is plain" he
continued. America does not fear
war. Why should she? Geographic
ally, she is self-contained and self
supporting.
"Her long coast lines are inade-
quately protected. Some of her
most splendid cities appear as
tempting targets. But the circum-
stance is relatively trivial. The great
est guns could not create the havoc
Of an earthquake, such as that from
which San Francisco rose like
phoenix from its ashes, more re-
,plendent than ever, in bare score
oi months.
1T is a matter of most casual OBJ
that we rebuild New York
every 80 years. And back of the
cities and the coast lines lies great
which constitutes the real
America with a registered total of
more than 24.000,0O0 men between
the ages of II and IS, capable of
bearing arms.
To pronounce such a land un-
is to utter the merest
ruism. No; America does not fear
war; she simply hates it.
Won't Take Territory.
"But the security of the United
States does not rest on her physical
,esources alone. Her moral posi-
ION is impregnable. Not only will
;he never seek additional territory
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