The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-11-27
League Pushed Back
By Proposal to Form
New World Society
BY FRANK CHARLTON.
International News Service Foreign News
= EAltsr.

By FRANK CHARLTON.
International News Service Foreign Nsws
= EAitsr.
The manner In which thu League Of
Nations may be pushed entirely INTO
the background by the Washington
conference has begun to take tangible
foy-n.
Despite the fact that the conference
has not yet emerged from the prelimi-
nary phase into the drafting stage,
and the world has not yet received
definite assurances that the conference
will solve all the problems II under
took to settle, II already has begun to
overshadow the league.
While President Harding, as the ex-
ponent Of American public opinion,
favors the creation Of a new society
of nations. America is averse to par
ticipation in any alignment Of power
that savors of an alliance.
Consequently. the situation, as out
lined from the American viewpoint. is
as follows:
The proposed new society of powers
would be q loosely knit organization
of nations whose membership would
vary. 1t might be no more than an
annual international conference. Hav-
ing in mind what happened to ex-
President Wilson's League Of Nations
in the American Senate, chiefly be-
cause of the commitments involved
in Article X, and the subsequent man.
date Of the American people to Prest-
dent Harding, when he was elected
with a majority of 100000 votes, to
keep America out OF foreign alliances,
the American leaders will see there
is no binding constitution nor pledges
of armed support.
The conferences would deal solely
with world questions which threaten
peace. Territorial squabbles between
little estates would not be touched
except where they threatened to in
volve the larger powers.
1t was pointed out that the powers
are now in a position to invite Ger
many to participate. as she is at
peace with the world.
The Washington conference already
has encroached upon some of the
functions of the league, notably dis
armament! When the league began
to operate disarmament was one OF
the first questions tackled. A dis
armament committee was formed,
but has never done anything be-
yond appointing subcommittee to
study the problem.
European politics have entered
largely into the discussions OF the
league. The proposed future confer
ences would be kept absolutely free
from international politics. Ameri-
can statesmen declare that any new
society must be moral league"
working through moral pressure to
achieve it's aims.
The proposal that plan be worked
out for annual conferences of the
powers-including nations not repre-
scented here-has received tremendous
impetus within the last forty-eight
hours. 1t has come chiefly from
President Harding himself. Foreign
delegates believe that the financial :
Industrial, and international debt
questions should be approached in
1922, now that II 10 virtually certain
that they will not be considered In
the present conference. Also, II is
proposed that land disarmament and
a final decision on the use Of new
agencies Of warfare be left to a future
conference Of the powers.
America would occupy a command.
ing position In such conferences, bs-
cause she took the initiative in the
present meeting. and because she is
creditor OF the chief European allies.