Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-10

them to bring. their little children,
who sat on their fathers knees. The
little red hair ribbons, and brightly
colored dresses with the background
they implied of parents caring enough
to give their children memories of a
historic occasion. were the brightest
touches in the room.
One extraordinary detail in the room
was wholly unprecedented, This was
the presence of large number of
foreigners on the floor. There were
not only the delegates to the
armament conference but there were
also in one corner of the room some
forty newspaper men from England.
Canada, Japan, China. France, Hol-
land and italy. All the newspaper
men, as well as the delegates. were
wholly in the role of observers and
guests. But one wondered whether
there might be just the faintest his
torical Significance In the fact that on
the very day when the parliamentary
body of Great Britain lost in the sep
aration for ireland a considerable
group. who for hundred years have
looked to London, it happened by this
odd coincidence that considerable
portion of the earth's surface was
looking to Washington for leadership.
1t would be easy to eNaggerate or even
wholly nisread this coincidence. But
a person with imagination could
hardly help noting it.
OF many reflections that arose
from observing how Harding's speech
was received. the first was the vitality
of the League of Nations. The first
applause came with the first phrase
that limited of world associations when
he said: There are growing assur-
ances of the permanence OF the peace
which we SO deeply cherish" again
came applause when Harding spoke
OF our "unescapable relationship with
world affairs in finance and trade"
1t was noticeable that this applause
started on the Democratic side. Most
of the Democrats have an abiding
under the form of the League of
Nations, is some how bound to come
aSout in the course of time.
Again there was applause when
Harding, speaking of the nations Of
the world, used the phrase: I'VE
the other hand. Harding's emphatic
assurances that he would do nothing
about our foreign Velations which
would lead to conflict with the senate
about constitutional prerogative. and
his pledge of adherence to the ac-
cepted policy of not entering the
League OF Nations, brought equally
emphatic applause.
II Harding had. had the time. and
II the idea had occurred to him. he
might nave done uSerul thinE II
he had expanded upon the single sent
ence in which he said that the initia-
ton of the actual operation of the
budget system. which had taken place
the same day as the speech, "is the
greatest reformation in governmental
practice since the beginning of the
Republic" This is literally true, and
In a period of well-justified criticism
OF the work of Congress it Is use
full and cheering to remember that
so big a thing as this hos been done |
So far as it is pointed towards the !
future, there were three indications
In Harding's speech which are borne
out by the current gossip OF WASH
ington. The first is that he will |
make the effort long urged upon him |
to bring about unity of policy and |
action between himself and the Re- |
publican majority In the Senate and !,
House. The second is that he will |
try to get away from government |
ownership and operation of ships. |
while at the same time finding an
other means of achieving his fixed |
purpose of having An adequate Ameri- |
can Mercantile Marine. Tho third is |
that he will try again the effort that |
has several times failed In the past. |
To give real power to the tariff COM
mission so that we may have flexible |
import duties.
Copyright, 1921. by n. Y. Evening
Post. 1nc.)