Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-20
! That is ali we did and that is all We

That is all we did and that Is all We
claim to have done"
Discussing what he called the
sentiment, perilous present" he
| said:
For years I have heard It pro-
claimed that war between Great
Britain and America ha deceased to
be conceivable. Never have known
the declaration to be denied general
appreciation. Yet 1t is clear that
what it is alleged to be a fact is now
more than an assumption. No re-
sumption Of an armed conflict is un-
imaginable. Any day may witness
renewal of the war of roses; any day
the clash of the blue and the gray
! in the swamps Of Virginia.
But so unlikely are such happen
l.ings that the suggestion even though
it incredibly were. made, would
evoke no more than a derisive smile.
But it is one thing to stamp con-
stantly upon an absurd motion, and
another thing never to think of it at
all.
Now the question rises, have not
our countries reached a point with
respect tothe remotest possibility of
conflict that justifies our forgetting it
as completely as the battles of Bos-
worth Field and Apomatox have fad
ed from our recollection"
Such, am happy to report faith
| fully in the teeth of all the mischief
makers and scandal mongers of both
nationsfi has become the settled con-
IF on I
doubt not, of yours.
We viii get nowhere until we
abruptly put aside academic discus
sion of theoretical proposals and man
fully face, without mincing OF wincing,
the actaul realities. We must realize
the time has come to practice that
we have been preaching and demon
strate our fidelity by our acts.
THAT is the business primarily of
our government and officials charged
with public responsibilities. Very
good. Our new government, solid in
all its branches in support of its lead
er, is both willing and ready"
He cited the Washington admins
| tration's proposal for a solution OF
the Pacific communication problem,
the American stand on reparations
and the designation of American
members for the allied councils as in
dications of this willingness and rea-
diness.
Because the President has ex-
emplified his avowal of obligations it
must not be inferred that he pro-
poses to become an international
meddler," continued the ambassador.
He would be the last to interfere
or be drawn into any matter of no
concern to his own country, but
also no one realizes more clearly
than he that the United States is, Of
necessity, deeply interested in pro-
per economic adjustments and the
just settlement of matters of world
wide Importance under discussion
and desires helpfully to cooperate.
There still seems to linger in the
minds of many here the impression
that in some way or other America
may yet be beguiled into the League
of Nations. Let me show you how
utterly absurd such a notion Is.
II need not recall the long con-
test waged between the two branch
es of our government over this pro-
posal / need hardly mention that
the conflict became so sharp that
even the treaty went by the board.
FINALLY, the question of America
participation in the League came be-
fore the people. who decided by a
majority of seven millions.
st follows, then, that the present
government could not, without be-
trayal of its creators, and masters,
t and will not, j can assure you. have
anything whatever to do with the
league or any commission or COM
mittee appointed by it or responsible
to it directly or indirectly, openly or
furtively."