The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-09
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HASKIN, Director,
Washington, d. @.
THE DISARMAMENT CONFER
ENCE.

world will confer in Washington to
see if it is possible for them to put
an end to the squandering of money
for building up huge armies and navies
for protection against leach other, or
for aggression against their neighbors.
FBoiled down to its essentials, the con-
ference will determine whether the
peoples of the world, burdened aAd
groaning under the debt of the great
war, with industries slowed down or
stopped, credit strained and money
values far below par, will live together
in amity henceforth or whether the
4 old systems of diplomatic intrigues,
alliances, large standing armies. enor-
nous navies, and consequently ire
mendous expenditures and taxes will
go on until civilization ends in bank
ruptcy and chaos.
/ 1t is generally conceded that Pres
ident Harding chose the psychological
time for proposing the disarmament
and Japan, the one big power of the
I Easa, would have paid scant attention
at any other time. But England, and
France, and other European nations
unable to pay even the interest on
their foreign obligations, and public
opinion as well as common business
sense force their attention. Japan is
IN FAR better economical condition, her
f, losses during the war being not a drop
in the bucket compared to the men,
munitions, and money thrown into the
raVenouS jaws of the dragon of war
by the other enemies of the Central
| Powers. Japan's acquiescence fol-
lowed the realization that world opin-
ion would single her out as the one
obstructing power bent on conquest
and expansion by force of arms.
The attention of the public is now
turning toward whether the trained
! diplomats of other lands are to use
/ of In
Washington, as they did at Versailles,
to give the appearance of striving hard
to reach a basis of peaceful settle
Snent of all international troubles, but
ing special advantages for their ma
| tions which would in effect nuIlify
the whole plan.
Peace Treaty Intrigue.
1t is no secret now how the League
of Nations plan crumpIed and col
! lapsed. Former President Wilson, his
mind set on the acceptance of his
| scheme, was played upon by the pre-
miers of Europe and Japan until to
get their support concessions had to
be made to each of them. Great
Britain demanded separate represent
tatton for each of her overseas domin-
ions, and got that as well as other
advantages. France showed what she
really thought of the league plan by
I
| lance with Great Britain and the
| United States in addition to member
! ship in the league as protection in the
future against Germany. Japan de-
manded and got the Shantung settle
ment as her price.
The whisperings and underground
rustlings of diplomatic intrigue can al
ready be discerned, altho the con-
| ference is far away. 1t is reported
| that Secretary of State Hughes has
I RI q In
formal but strongly worded memoran-
dunn to the embassy of one of the big
powers warning it that bargains and
trades and sub rosa work is not to be
! tolerated.
President Harding has set his hand
| to the pillow in this task, and has re-
peatedly given public utterance to his
intention to see it thru. Without
| doubt Secretary Hughes. well equipped
for the task, will be the spokesman
and representative of the American
government, at the disarmament con-
ference.
In effect, President Harding has
taken the nations of the world as be-
! ing but people in a small community
people who have from the dawn of
time been pickering and fighting and
| stealing from each other, encroachins
on each others lots, breaking each
others windows, and refusing to pay
| the grocer on the corner for what they
eat Many of them are in the. position
| of having borrowed from a rich neigh
Dor, and now find that they cannot
meet their notes.
| If neighborS in village acted as
/ history records %he actions of nations
thye would be thrown into Jail or rid
den out of town on fence rail. In
| the past it has been the universal GUS
tom for nations. strong and rich, to
overpower and make subject to them
/ their weaker neighbors. Nearly every
civilization has spread itself by con-
quest and arms. Had Germany and
| eddy would have been repeated.
I thousand and one separate inter-
ests will have to be moulded and
shaped toward a common ends when
the disarmament conference meets.
England will look with dread upon any
movement which would deprive her
an island power, of the tremendous
naval force she now possesses. 1t is
Unborn in the British to regard their
navy as the great factor of British
safety. But British taxes are very
heavy, and British debts to America
of that proud nation have not scrupled
to suggest the forgiveness of this debt
by the United States
France, trained to the habit of
thought that her natural and heredi-
tary enemy. Germany, lies just over
! the OOIuSt, Si4idA t4Ai7 q -
defeat, will make a struggle against
giving up or materially reducing her
large standing army.
Japan Plays Her Game.
From Tokyo the hints at obstruc-
ton of the purposes of the confer
encs are multiplying at the mere invi-
tation to take part in it. First Japan
wanted to know the exact scope the
discussions at the conference would
/ have. and did not want the Pacific
question brought in at all. This was
in effect politely refused. and Japan
practically had to come into the con-
ference just the same.
Baron Sakatanf, member of the
japanese House of Peers, is credited
with a recent interview bearing on the
subject, some parts of which are re-
markable in that they throw light on