New-York tribune., 1921-01-21
French Criticize
Harding Idea Of
Disarmament
Ironical Views Expressed
in Unofficial Circles on
Suggestion of New Asso-
citation to Insure Peace
Change Every Four Years
Newspaper Makes Satirical
Forecast of Reception
of the Proposed ENJOYS
spectol caole to The Tribune


Copyright. 1921, New York Tribune Ino
PARIS, Jan. 20.-The proposed plan
for President-elect Harding to call q
conference on disarmament and arhi-
tration has received an ironical recep-
tion in certain French circles whicn
are indiscreet enough to express opin-
ions which will be carefully concealed,
even if they are held, by French ON
cialdom. French diplomacy is too wise
to make any but favorable comment ON
the projects Of the Harding Admins
tration, but the Paris Midi to-day ex-
presses the irony wherewith many
Frenchman nevertheless regard the plan.
The paper says that when the envoys
from the civilized world arrive in
Washington, hat in hand, President
Harding will address them as follows:
1.-TWO years ago an American Presi-
dent named Wilson persuaded you TO
create an international Organization
called a league of nations. America
has now changed her President, and it
is therefore fitting that this organiza-
tion should be replaced by another
about which I shall speak with you.
At the same time, 1 take it upon my
self to remind you that once more the
civilized world may have to change its
IDEAS if four years hence the Demo
cratic party should return to the White
House"
Changeable World Policy Indicated
The moral of all this, the Midi says,
is that every time America changes
her President the rest of the world
must change too.
"But that is not ALL" it continues.
"Mr. Harding's project for an inter-
national organization would have sin
gular consequences even if it had not
been preceded by another scheme. His
tions by continents. On one side there
would be the American nations and on
the other side those of Europe. Que
so-called court of arbitration would
dominate each group. In this way,
you will notice, America would not be
obliged to intervene in European af-
fairs, although she is not to sever all
ties with the Old World.
This is ingenious, but will it please
everybody? One could bet ones head
that rather than accept such a project
the South Americans would prefer to
ally themselves with China. They have
as a convenient excuse for the United
States to absorb them. To enter an
exclusively American group, where the
United States necessarily would be all
powerful, would be like putting the
head into VOLTS mouth.
End to Open Door Suggested
"And what will Washington say
when japan proposes to take the lead
ership of the Far Eastern nations? It
would, of course, be understood that
no American or European state would
be included in the Far Eastern group.
Who, then, would dominate that sec
tion? What would become Of Amer
ica's policy Of the open door in China !?
"The more one thinks about it the
more he will be convinced that the
Harding project, as far as it represents
anything definite, will end by being
drowned in ridicule. Moreover, the
League of Nations is alive. Having had
trouble in bringing this institution
into the world, Europe cannot consent
to kill it just to help Mr.. Harding's 3
election combinations"