Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1921-12-29
FOREIGN DELEGATES, HAVING
LEARNED THEIR SOURCE, DIS
REGARD THEM.
BOOST RATHER THAN HINDER
Representatives From Other Nations
Amazed by Strength OF Religious
Sentiment Here, Which Is Backing
American Armament Reduction Plan.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK

SS4 IaAA AuSIlCdn quarters winch have
been made on the plan for the reduc-
ton Of ornaments, and for a proper
solution of Far Eastern problems.
seemingly have resulted in a strength
entng Of the cause for which the con-
ference was called instead Of weaken
ing 1t, as the attackers hoped would
be the case.
Recently some of the criticisms of
the plan for partial disarmament have
become venomous, The attempt, Of
course, Is to SOW prOverbial seeds Of
dissension in a hitherto fair field Of
exchange between the foreigners who
are here present. 1t seems to be mani
fest today that not only the delegates
who are here from abroad, but the
American administration itself, think
the assailants of the plan have over
played their hand and have helped
that which they were seeking to harm.
The foreign delegates at first were
astounded at the nature Of some of the
assaults on the American proposition
for partial disarmament. They
seemed staggered by the extent Of the
suddenly sprung opposition. Then
they began to ask questions about it,
ana then they began to reason the
thing out for themselves. Today they
seem to have arrived at the conclusion
that the cause in behalf Of which they
had met had been advanced by the
nature of its enemy and the nature of
its assaults.
Force OF American Emotion,
1t may seem curious, but the fact
probably is not at all so, that the for
eigners represented here have a feel
Ing that the American "emotion.~
which brought about prohibition, is GO
ing to force success for the plan which
President Harding, through his score
tary Of state, has proposed. 1 have
been told by foreigners that they are
somewhat amazed at the strength of
what they call the religious sentiment
In this country, They had an idea
before coming here that the influx of
immigrants and some other things
which have produced continental Sun
days In our great citieG, also have
changed the face Of the whole country
side. They say they have found they
were mistaken, and that the moral
suasion element in America is still the
dominant one, and Is militant for
things 1t thinks are righteous,
The foreigners seemingly have taken
sharp notice, Of the nature of the
American elements which are active In
support Of procedure along lines lead
ing to a reduction Of armament. What
Is called the church element is particu-
larly marked in its influence here and
IN Its methods Of exercising 1t. It
should be said for the churches as
churches that most Of them have not
gone to fanatical extremes in this mat
ter, but rather have contented them
selves with urging that a step forward
be taken, instead of urging that the |
whole path to lasting peace shall be
Travelled in one day.
1t probably is some satisfaction TO |
the administration to know that the |
more vicious the attacks on its pro- |
gram are from certain quarters, the |
hrner stand the forces of approval. |
The mass sentiment Of the United |
States seems to be strong for the sue |
cess OF the conference, and probably.
1t Is knowledge Of this that is resuonsi- |
BILE for the word that the President al |
ready is looking with unconcern upon
assaults which have come upon his
policy from some men Of hts own DO
litical party.
Attacks Proving Futile,
1t probably has been the thought Of |
the forces Of assault that some of their
poison gas shells would drive the for
eigners out Of their positions, would
force confusion and eventually would
compel them to retire from the field
with the object unachIeved for which
they came together. Seemingly the re-
suit has been in reverse. The vari-
GUS delegates, including the American
delegation, apparently have been
strengthened in their desire for real
achievement by the attempts to weaken
their position and to undermine the
ideal which had brought them to-
gether.
1t probably has been rather a
happy thing for the good Of the cause
that the substantial elements Of the
American population have urged linn
itation Of ornaments instead of ac-
tual disarmament, thereby differentiat-
ing themselves from other elements.
luckily weaker ones, which have been
urging complete disarmament for
America, no matter what the rest Of
the world might do.
Hardlng's Association Plan.
Everybody in this town keen enough
to take interest In anything is specu-
lating on the future of President Har-
ding's association OF nations plan. for
plan it most certainly Is.
A few days have gone by since II
L. III