Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-18

4
~ wsnt-Psa'm 1871
Politics and the Conference
THE present ADMINISTRATION treat
l ed the League of Nations SO
unfairly and mendaciously in all
discussion regarding it that It il not
strange that Democrats are some
what inclined to take . whack AZ
The disarmament conference reluc-
family called by President Harding
In IN effort to dig himself out OF
the hole in which his opposition to
the League of Nations landed him.
We hope that such spirit WILL
not be fostered. Il the conference
next November at Washington can
accomplish anything in the diree-
ton Of making war less likely in
the future or lifting the burden OF
military expenditures from the ma
lions Of the world, let the Demo-
Gratis give 1t full support. The
League of Nations has itself COM
menced investigations along the
line of disarmament. It has Offer
ed to place such information as It
has collected at the disposal OF the
Warrington Confer ence. The
League of Nations declares that tit
views with favor and approval ev-
cry effort made At Washington or
else where to bring about disarm-
ament by international agreement.
Il will put no obstruction in the
path Of the Washington conference.
On the contrary it will cooperate
with It and help it all it can In
asmuch ~ every member OF the
Washington conference, with the
sole exception Of the United States,
Il 4 member Of the League OF Ma
lions, bound by its covenant and
rules, this magnanimous attitude on
the part Of the League of Nations
toward the Washington conference
ought 10 be appreciated by Presi-
dent Harding. We doubt if it will
be however. Heaping coal Of fire
on the head Of your enemy i a
treatment not enjoyed by the enc
my As 4 rule. However what we
started out to say in this article
Is that we hope the Democratic
senator's, the Democratic national
committee, and the Democratic
newspapers of the United States
will not be influenced by the past
partisan conduct Of the Republican
party leaders in seeking to make
the League of Nations a failure,
but will give the Harding project
full support. It matters very little
who gets the credit for disarma-
ment provided we get it. Rich as
this country il it can scarcely stand
the burden Of ito army and navy
appropriations. More than 90 cents
out Of every dollar Of federal tax
alton today goes to pay for wars
Of the past or in preparation for
wars in the future, we are told.
IT the Washington conference can
help Disbursement along it will re-
ceive the welcome Of the League
of Nations and it ought to receive
the united support Of all parties in
this country. If it fails let the
responsibility for such failure not
rest with Democrats. but with the
administration or the nations it has
invited in conference.
Any agreement reached at that
conference Will doubtless take the
form Of . treaty which must be
submitted % the United States
senate for ratification. If the Dem
oerats should initiate the action Of
the Republicans with reference to
the treaty submitted to them by
the former Democratic adrninistra-
ton President Harding would be
discredited In the eyes of the Euro
pean nations he invited to the con-
ference. That is what the Repub-
lican senator's did to Woodrow Will
son. No treaty could be ratified
in the present senate if the Demo-
Gratis copied the Republican tactics
and made opposition to ratification
. party issue. We hope they will
not do %. though we admit the
temptation may be great.
Gompers Rubs It In.