New-York tribune., 1921-11-29
Harding's Plan
Prevents Parley
Break, Says Hill
tcontlnued from pass ons)

{continued from paps ons)
justice would be calamity Of incal-
culable consequences. To let it be
understood throughout the world that
the American government, for eco
nomical reasons, had determined to
abandon the purposes it had in mind
in maintaining powerful navy and
using its influence for peace and JUS
/ tice, as we'll as the vindication of it's
equal rights among the nations, would
be such a remuneration. If it were
made there would come time when
the weakness and remissness Of such
course would be so apparent that a
deep resentment would be felt toward
those who were responsible for this
alteration from the path of national
duty; and, whatever might have been
the participation of others in bringing
it to pass. the political party which
had thus betrayed the moral aspira-
tions Of the country by rendering them
impotent would be visited with over
whelming opposition and deserved de-
feat.
In brief, whoever diminishes that
moral prestige which the United
States has attained in the world, and
which the American people desire and
intend shall be utilized for the main
tenance and realization of their con-
ceptions Of justice between the ma
tlons, will not in the end be sustained
by the voice of America. We can stand
isolation. we can endure reproach, and
we can await our day of triumph, but
we cannot permit, much less ourselves
Justify, the Judgment that we have
abandoned our ideals as we'll as our
historic policies, and have relapsed
into indifference to the solutions that
may be given to the problem of
power.
Harding to Press World Plan
1t IS, therefore, source of immense
qualification to learn, at this critical
moment, that President Harding does
not intend, if he can prevent it, that.
if this conference does not bring forth
the understanding that will be definite
on the great issues now before the
world. he will abandon all hope of
that finer, nobler thing which no ma
tion car do alone"
He will try to have this conference
go as far as it will. but if it does not
go far enough he proposes that there
snail be another, and another, until,
brought face to face with the per-
slstent causes of misunderstanding, all
men at last come to know one another's
point of view, to put themselves by
Imagination and comprehension in one
another's place, to discern that COM
munity Of interest which outweighs
mere private interest even among ma
tlons, and 80, by repeated examination
of facts and realities create a general.
yes, universal understanding.
1t is timely to emphasize President
Harding's idea of method in this mat
Ter. lie saw, as most thoughtful
Americans saw, that peace can never
be made universal by coercion. That
was the basic error of the league to
enforce peace and of the covenant of
the League of Nations. You can en-
force peace by the possession and exer-
cise of superior armed power, but that
KIND OF peace will endure only so long
as that superiority of armed power is
in being, is united, and ready for
prompt action. When it fails in anv
OF these particulars it becomes provocs-
tive OF resistance, and when it fails in
al of them it is likely to be over
thrown.
Would Eliminate Offensive Peril
The Presidents method is that Of
understanding and agreement. He
would not abandon defensive force.
but he would eliminate from the field
of controversy and settlement tho
In the conference at WASHINGTON the
first step taken was to remove this
menace. to substitute will you? ?" for
You must"
"ConfessedIy, it is experiment. There
may be doubts regarding it's success.
but as between highly civilized nations
it should succeed Very likely it will
not succeed completely at once. 1t will
require time.
This is the reason why President
Harding's proposal of q series of con
such brilliant light on what is es-
sentially an unknown path. If. as
seems likely, the powers now assembled
In Washington agree TO meet again
next year, we need not worry exces-
sively if all the problems named in the
agerda are not completely settled. |
Some of them may be settled more
wisely if they are not treated hastily. |
islisre will be time for deliberate ex-
.ninatlon. No one will go sway de-
fsated and permanently disappointed. |
ALI will be thinking of the next meet I
ing. Rash actions will be prevented, |
since an account of them will be ex-
pacted. Sacrifices which would seem
intolerable if forced by armed power !,
might seem reasonable, and even ad-
vantageous, if deliberately examined
in view of the results that might fol- /
low from making them.
Council to Control Procedure
For example, what would be the
necessity or expediency Of continuing
the Anglo-Japanese military alliance I
ii there is to be no war in the Far
East. especially when such a compact
is aeenly offensive to the American
people? What is the advantage of ir-
ltsting the sensibiiit;es and woundinr
Lha pride of tour hundred n-illinn