The Bozeman courier., 1921-07-20
AT THE NEW PEACE CONFERENCE.
(From the Chicago Tribune).

The eagerness and unconcealed elation with III
which Mr.. Lloyd George and Mr. Brand have HI
greeted Mr.. Hardings invitation to a new confer III
ence may be occasion for qualification. Yet, HI
without betraying a too wakeful suspicion, we Il
must confess to a stirring of painful memories.
What happened to the United States at Versal- II
les and what might have followed from the naive
efforts of our late representatives in European
counsels are still rather vivid in the American
mind.
1t is well they should be. The new peace con-
ference may well prove to be Pandora's box, as
the Versailles conference was for Europe and |
might have been for us. The conference Of /
fers virtually unlimited consequences since the
question of limitation of land ornaments opens |
up almost every problem in the world of interna-
tional politics. 1t involves Russia Poland, Sile-
sia, the Ruhr the Ayrol, Constantinople Mesopo-
tamia, Syria, Shantung, Siberia. In involves Ger
man reparations and trade, French initiation and
expenditure.
At peace societies it is easy to dwell on the
horrors of war and to call upon the nations to lay
down their arms and turn their swords into plaw-
shears. But in conference of statesmen respon-
sible for concrete action and burdened with the
responsibilities of national safety, interest or am
bition, the problem of limiting armament becomes
a complicated business whose strands run through
out the world In an almost inextricable network.
Mr.. Wilson, with his easy formulas, INDUCED
in the theory that America asks nothing in a peace
conference. This is true in only very narrow
sense We want good deal. He wanted "a good
deal, much more than the statesmen he dealt with
or the peoples back of them were willing to grant
We want to be paid considerable sum of money.
We want access to world markets and to world re-
sources on fair terms We want limitations of ex-
penditure and financial policies which shall make
: it possible for to trade upon adequate secur-
ity and for debtors to meet their obligations
| We want free communication across the Pacific
and access to the opportunities which Asia offers
We want the establishment of non-aggressive
policies by governments and the removal of the
G selfish short-sighted restrictions among the ma
tions of Europe which blocking the resortatior
: of Europe's economic efficiency.
O In short we want many important things
d which Europe shows little disposition to gran
: and will not grant without substantial returns
Y from US.
/, All or many of these matters must come with
e In the consideration of the new peace conferenc
n if it is to be than occasion of empty rhet
e oric. And if such weighty matters are treated,
s will demand from our representatives all tina
st craftsmanship can command.
We devoutly trust, therefore, that we shall b
k represented not by doctrinaries but by well ir
II formed and acute intelligence, which will respec
N faces and forces and beware of formulas. Gu
ce representatives will test their minds against som
g. of the ablest minds of Europe, in field in whc
their adversaries are veterans. We have conf
dence that if we are rid of passion to play NOR;
beadle to the nations and rely upon our nativ
powers, our sense of practical affairs and our con
if mon sense, we shall not suffer seriously and ma
ON do great deal of good not only for America, bl
he for those other peoples with whose real welfal
he our own is largely bound up. AS nation who's
st paramount interest is peace and whose entangl
re- ments and ambitions are relatively simple v
he ought to be able to help effectively to get the
,r- morazed family of nations back to firmer foo
M ing.