, 1921-10-11
THE FACTOR OF PUBLIC OPINION.

lie once.
THE FACTOR OF PUBLIC OPINION
Floods of misinformation have been let loose in
ali countries in regard to the arms limitation confer
ence and its bearings upon international relations"
says the Washington Post Ignorance and prejudice
are doing mischief, not merely by emphasizing points
Of difference, but by interfering with the efforts Of
the governments concerned to bring about an i'm
pavement in world conditions. All sorts of foolish
suggestions are Forthcoming, most of them fortunate
ly carrying the seeds of their own death with them.
The most dangerous effect of the irresponsible talk,
Of course, Is in infaming public passions in nations
which have every good reason to keep their tempers-
at should go without saying that any American
holding a responsible position, as for instance a place
in the senate, should be careful of his utterancs, for
the sake of furthering a cause which commands the
patriotism Of every good citizen II a senator will
only imagine his own counterpart standing in the Ja-
panese house of peers and uttering statements tend
ing to enrage the American people, he viii see how
wickedly foolish it is to use the conference as an ex-
cuse for partisan assault
1.-THE most delicate point of contact between peo-
pies at this ~iuncture, the point whore friction is like
ly to develop with unforeseen consequences, is the
contact of the Japanese and American nations. 1t is
not because either people is seeking war, or because
either is trying to overreach the other. It is because
they are poorly informed concerning each other, and
are peculiarly liable to become infected with preju-
dice disseminated by ignorance and malice.
"The devils work is now being performed by viii
ing agents IN several countries endeavoring to bring
about a clash between the japanese and Americans.
In some quarters it is suggested that certain national
interests would be promoted by a conflict between the
United States and Japan; but this suggestion is in it
self a piece of ignorance, for a moments thought will
show that no nation can hope to gain as much as it
would lose by a Japanese-American war. The ma
tons that thought they had gained by the world war
have discovered that they are losers in many unex-
pected ways. Prosperity has n common level, like
water, and tho draining Of prosperity from one ma
ton draws it from others Territorial gains are liza
.bilities if economic losses impoverish a nation.
Zone of the common opinions during the armis-
tice period was that the surrender of the German fleet
would greatly enhance the strength Of the British
.-.. nr-- xr.-. .v-1~ n-,o-1 = -Auror. ava. h
disposition of the German ~warships. But it was dis
covered that these ships were a liability, instead of an
asset, and at a suspiciously opportune moment, when
the entire British fleet was looking the other way, the
German fleet was sunk.
Now the discovery is made that the Versailles
treaty, by making it impossible for Germany to build
a big fleet or maintain a big army, has actually placed
Germany at an economic advantage over all other
countries in Europe. Germany is the only great ma
ton, excepting China and the United States, that is
not bankrupt or headed toward bankruptcy because
of armament expenses.
"These two discoveries, namely, the worthlessness
of a great captured feet and the forcible exemption
of Germany from armament expenses, illustrate the
ease with which governments, not to say peoples, can
be misled when they are most sure they are right.
The tendency to mistake opinions for facts is inten-
sifed when opinions are uttered by experts who have
repeatedly shosn that they are blind leaders of the
blind.
GAS for the remedies proposed by well-meaning vol
untear physicians of the worlds maladies, they are
usually worse than the disease. The short cuts to
permanent world peace are suggested without knowl-
edge of vital factors, which are known in their en-
trety only to government heads. Why not leave the
problem to the parties responsible for its solution, who
happen to be best qualified to solve 1.-THE govern
ment authorities? If any citizen should happen to
possess special information, or should be struck by
what seems to him a happy idea, he can easily get in
touch with the. proper authorities of his government
and give them the benefit of his suggestions. In most
cases the publication of his ideas is either prejudicial
to the cause or it is premature, if the suggestions have
merit at all.
SIT is worth while to remember that the United
States is the most fortunately situated country on
earth. The conference will not affect the fortunes of
this country, either for good or ill, as much as it will
affect other countries. The great governments con-
cerned are in duty bound to seize the opportunity to
extricate themselves from a precarious situation. The
United States will do its best to help them. A steady,
friendly, Unconditional public opinion in all countries
will do much to make the conference a success"