New-York tribune., 1921-12-08
American Proposals Offer
Definite Basis for Linn
itation, but Evoke Moth
ing but Compliments
Chilling Wind From West
Farmers Begin to Question
Sincerity of Nations as
They Evade Agreements
By David Iayne Hill


orable by an outburst Of national fer
vor never to be forgotten. Since then
a cold wave has swung in from the
West.
The population Of the Middle West
is recognized as the determining ele-
ment in the political decisions of the
United States. During the World War
farming, the principal industry of that
section Of the country, was profitable,
although the cost of production was
high. Since the war the producer OF
food has found himself faced by de-
clining market. When he has looked
for the reason he has discovered that,
though millions are said to be starving,
Europe is too poor to buy in the Amer
lean market.
lnuuiring little further into The
subject the American farmer has
learned that there Is little hope Of
relief In schemes TO finance Europe
and that the extension Of credit is, In
the last analysis. only concealmcnt Of
the fact that, under the cover Of a
business transaction, some one Is MAX
ing present Of tho commodities we
lend the money to buy.
Europe Starving to Feed Mars
Why is it, men are asking, that
Europe Is virtually bankrupt? She has
her soil, except in few devastated
regions; her houses, her factories and
Judge from the extent of unemploy-
ment and the largcsses of the state
TO the idle in endless issues Of paper
money.
When we reach the bedrock Of the
investigation we discover that In 3
time of nominal peace the people of
Europe are taxed for military pur-
pose more than three times what they
were before the war. and there is no
! prospect of diminishing this burden.
Europe is starving to feed the god of
| war.
The contemplation of this situation
which affects the whole world, has Gre
ated in America an immense tide OF
public sentiment for disarmament. So
strong has it become that it is in dan
ger of interfering with clear thinking
| The hatred OF war is taking the form
Of despising and condemning the mute
| instruments Of warfare, as if they
were really the guilty things.
The American people have begun to
see that the condition Of Europe is a
menace to the United States. There
can be no real and permanent pros
perity while blockade of bankruptcy
/ and the threat Of war obstruct the
free development of industry and the
channels of trade and commerce.
| What could America do to end this
to 10000 men and it has been done
She could stop building warships. and
is ready to do that. But what is the
reaction to her example and her pro-
posal?
Abuses Of Peace Summarized
have said that the condition OF
Europe is q menace to the United
States. But that is not the only men
ace. In the liquidation of the wal
America has seen the islands of the
Pacific divided between two allied
powers. She has seen the Republic OF
China publicly wronged in the settle.
ment at Paris and the wrong defended
by the yictors in war for the rights
of the weak against the strong. She
has seen the Supreme Council, mill.
tary alliance, divide and apporton tc
it's own members, and to no one else
thousands of square miles of newly &C
Quired territory under the cover OF
mandates, over which no one but itself
has control. She has seen the whole
of Asia and much of Africa fall under
the control Of the ,victors in the war
She haS seen the Far East pass com
plctely, by the elimination of German,
and Russia, into the hands of the
Anglo-J spanese alliance, and she has
seen the open door Of trade swing
toward closing, until it is a question
whether or not it will ever be re.
opened.
"But you menace u.s." it has beer
answered. "You are building warships
Do you not understand that you mus
rot aspire to the control of the sea
Look into your history and see wha
has happened to the rations that hsv,
contested the control Of the sea-"
"Very we'll" the American peopI
have said, 1--WE are content to have tn
absolute control Of the sea considere,
an lmpertinence and, II you please,
manifestation of Imperialism. In truth
we quite agree with you. We do no
aspire to the undisputed control OF th
sea, only to our legitimate national de
fense. We front upon the two grea
ocean highways of the world and we d.
not mean to have them closed to us, bu
we do not ask to control them. We vii
limit our naval armament, if you will
We will sink our ships already built, i
you will, to limit that is just and fair
Having set an example in reducing on
army, We will now reduce our navy
There shall be no menace of force any
where on our part. We invite you t
have an understanding with U.S.
Nation Applauded Conference
And so. on November IL, the confer
ence at Washington, with the Congress
and the Supreme Court and the Who'll
nation applauding, opened with tn
proposal to limit naval armament.
Tho conference is now in the fourt
week Of its existence. Experts hav
been figuring and committees hav
been sitting, but so far there is n
conclusion reached. China has cata
logued her griefs, and the list is lonf
America has pressed no demands. W
have been waiting for a response tha
is more than mere verbal complimen
gracefully and seductively turned. An
we are waiting STILL
We are convinced that the very bes
method conceivable for nation tha