The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-10

Washington, D. c., Aug. -
Some time this year, pro5apiy on
November IL, the anniversary OF lhe
signing of the armistice, the srea'
powers of the world will confer III
WASHINGTON to see if it is possible
Tor them 10 put an end to the squan-
dering of money for building III
huge armies AID navies for nrotec'
tion against each other, or Tor ag'
erosion against their neighbors
, Eo;Ied down TO its essentials, the
conference will determine whether
the peoples OF the world, burdened
and grooming under the debt OF the
great war, with industries slowed
down or stopped, credit strained
and money values far below par
vii; live together in amity hence
forth or whether the old system OF
diplomatic intrigues, alliances, large
standing armies, enormous navies
and consequently tremendous ex-
penditures and taxes will so on un-
til civilization ends in bankruptcy
and chaos.
It. is generally conceded that
President Harding chose the psy-
Geological time for proposing the
disarmament conference. The ma
tons of Europe, and Japan, the one
big power of the east, would have
paid scant attention at any other
time. But England and France and
other European nations are stag
gering under enormous debts, I'M
able 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 condi-
I ton, her losses during the war be-
ing not drop in the bucket COM
pared 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 followed the
realization that world opinion
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
their cunning and devious methods
in Washington, as they did at Yer
sailles, to give the appearance of
striving hard to reach a basis of
peaceful settlement Of all interna-
tional troubles, but at the same
time reserving and holding special
advantages for their nations which
would in effect nullity the whole
plan.
Peace Treaty Intrigue.
1t is no secret now how the
League of Nations plan crampled
and collapsed. Former President
Wilson. his mind set on the accept
lance of his scheme, was played
upon by the premiers of Europe and
Japan until to get their support,
concessions had to be made to each
of them.
Great Britain demanded separ-
ate representation for each of her
overseas dCminionS, and got that as
well as other advanta ges. Franco
showed whate she really thought of
the league plan by insisting on the
acceptance of an alliance with
Great Britain and the United States
in addition to membership in the
league as protection in the future
Germany. Japan demanded
and got the Shantung settlement as
her price.
The whispering and underground
rustlings of diplomatic intrigue car
be discerned, although the
is far away. It is re-
ported that Secretary of State
Hughes has found it necessary to
address an informal but strongly
worded memorandum to the embas-
sy of one Of the big powers warn
ing it that bargains and trades and
sub rosa work IS not to be tolerated.
President Harding has set his
hand to the plough in this task, and
has repeatedly given public utter
ance to his intention to see it
through. Without doubt Secretary
Hughes, well equipped for the task,
will be the spokesman and repre-