The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-07-01
PRESIDENT HARDING, PEACE
AND EUROPEAN SITUATION

| Norman Hapgod in Charleston Amer
lean.
Washington, June 28.-Constant
inquiry is made about the presidents
ireasons for not explaining his plans
for cooperation with Europe. Those
questions will be multiplied when the
question Of formal peace has been put
i through congress and gotten out of
the way.
The reason the president makes no
statement is that he is proceeding on
step by step basis and the next
move is Britain's. AS a matter of un-
i vanished fact cooperation with Eu-
rop means in the first instance CO.
operation with Great Britain. If the
attempt to bring about such cocpera-
| ton succeeds other countries will be
! Immediately affected, but the plan is
being worked oue between the Two
| English-Speaking coua:r es.
! 1t will De remembered b.: some that
several weeks ago wrote two aftl-
cles on the extensive bearings Of the
imperial confor,1Le now gong on IN
london. l strongly indicated that any
possibility of success in formulating
new relations between Great Britain
and this country hinged on the aban-
donment of the treaty between Great
Britain and Japan.
Well, the fate of the treaty is to-
day the key to what is happening IN
the state department. The British
have indicated that they are willing to
go only a fifty-fifty basis with US in
naval power. To be sure Lloyd George
has dropped remarks taking away
somewhat from that willingness, but
on the whole it seems to express the
present British attitude.
But our government has no inten-
ton of making any reply to Great
Britain until it knows whether or not
Britain and Japan are allies natural
ly the, naval strength that we shall
claim will be much greater if Japan
and Britain are allies than if they are
not.
The talked-about clause, if the
treaty is renewed, making an excep-
ton in case the United States should
be belligerent, does not meet the OBJ
lection of the administration. Our
experiences during the great war
taught US that sea power and the use
of it are sure to be subject to con-
troversy in any future war.
In the last war the United States
while she was neutral, suffered
from Great Britain's orders in coun-
Gil; in other words, from her interpre
tation of her rights at sea. While
the United States was neutral she
was interfered with not only in her
trade with Germany but in her trade
with neutrals.
Hence, if there We're war between
the United States and Japan, even II
Britain were neutral, her attitude to-
ward questions arising at sea would
be important.
There is no solution, therefore, of
the situation, as the administration
sees it except the abandonment of the
treaty between Great Britain and ia
pan.
This, l think, will answer the ques-
tion of my friend Hamilton Holt and
others about why the administration
does not put forward plan. 1t has
chosen the method of one thing only
and it is now waiting. The British
government fully understands the sit
uation.
If the Japanese treaty is not renew
ed the next step will be to arrange
the relative programs of the three ma
val powers. Negotiations can be be-
gun as soon as the treaty matter is
out Of the way, but the essential
points will be agreed upon by the
three powers, or at least by Great
Britain and this country, before there
is any public conference.
Once the naval question is arrang-
ed +,..c rest of the presidents program
will be next in order. This admins
tration looks upon commerce as the
KEY to modern international politics.
The agreement on naval strength will