Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-30
BY Frederic ]. Haskin.


Washington. d. C, Dec. sT-That
the most important accomplishment OF
the conference has been to afford the
American people a free course in inter
national affairs. such as they never
had before. Is an opinion often heard
here as the great meeting draws 10
a close.
Public interest In the deliberations
4. now perhaps declining. but at the
start IL was keen. And never has such
a high level OF newspaper comment on
a great political event been seen IN
this country.
II is true that every nation poured
out It's propaganda by the familiar
methods. but these partisan state
mcnts stood side by side with discus
sion by experts which reached the
/ very highest level OF impartiality. \
famous socialist wrote from his own
point Of view under his own name. and
his writings were printed by many pa
pcrs who by no means shared Me
views. An economist OF International
reputation discussed the matter from
an economic point OF view. Coiiesc
professors. army and navy otiiccrs.
radicals and conservatives. all have had
n hearing.
Doubtless such a symposium OF con-
flictinx viewpoints Is sometimes con-
ru~inG vet never has the Intelligent
reader had better opportunity to hear
all sides and form his own opinion.
And never before have the motives
behind diplomatic rn~ves and pretcn-
sions been more clearly unmaskcd-
Compare sthc meeting 10 that at Yer
saillcs. where relf-intcrcst always ad-
vanccd behind barragc OF platitudc.
THE WORK OF PUBLIC OPINION
! In the first place. the common man
has seen what public opinion can ac-
lcomplish. For II was undoubtedly puo-
| lie opinion that created the conference
] and that deserves credit for whatever
| II may accomplish. The Borah resolu-
tion. providing for such a gathering.
at first attracted no attention at all
Neither the American government nor
any Of the other governments seemed
lat all Interested In Il. But the Borah
suggestion had fallen on fertile popuin r
soil. II soon became apparent to tho
administration that there was n gem
ersl popular demand for such a gath
lcriug.
Thus tho average man Is brought to
realize that he is tho ultimate arbiter
lin matters Of peace and war. II tho
lcommon man would not nghi and pay
taxes, there would hc no wars. II
governments could not drum up a war
to decide who shall have the oil In
Mesopotamia or tho trade In Mon
golia. then oil and tho trade would bo
peaccably divided up. or course. tho
trouble is that some peoples make
moro rapid progress than others in
getting over their capacity for be-
ing fooled, \ people with something left
In them of the medieval war spirit Is a
meuaco to the whole world
None the less In this slow but steady
popular revulsion against war is tho
one real hope Of permanent peace
Doubtless a great world tribunal VIII
also he necessary. but that orEa Mia
I 4, Ion. ..N. ,.x1.. =. -
the popular will against war and un-
I'll such a Will has been developed
no international organization will be
any more effective t,lan the leaguc Of
nations Is
To realize the slow growth of this
VIII against war. you must look long
way back. You must remember that
IN medieval days. kings made ag-
rressivc war deliberately. In accordance
with their divine right. aud that their
subjects dared not refuse to follow
them. Every war Is made ,i.h elabor
ate apologies. and with thousand pre-
tensions OF high normal intent Tho
real rulers of modern nations are sim
ply the property Owners in them and
these property owners make war for
profit just as the medieval kings did.
but their puppets, the politicians niue {
provide Tor them a vast smoke screen
of apology and pretensc
FooLISG THE PUBLIC
In other words, on,s It was not even
necessary to fool the common man.
Now 1t is necessary to fool him. but
how painfully easy 1T is, The question
now is To what extent he can get over
his amazing capacity for being fool
led JUS before we entered the worIu
war the American people were in n
most pacific mood. They d'i not want
war They re- elected a president be
lcausc he had kept them o.; Of war.
The actual declaration Of war found
the greater part of tho country irdif-
lferent, apathetic. Ane yet within a r.w
months a state of hystcria had been