Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-11-01
J~us1IEYINe The WASHINGTON CONFERENCE

Opponents of the League of Nations are wing with one
another at the present time in an effort to justify the coming
conference at Washington, called to consider the question of
armament and other international affairs, when there already
exists an organization made up of forty-odd nations of the
world, that was formed as an outcome of the recent war, for
that very purpose.
Originally intended to be a discussion of the question
of limiting armament between the three great naval powers
of the world, Great Britain, the United States and japan, the
Washington conference, which will convene November A.,
has been gradually enlarged so as to include more and more
nations and the subjects to be considered have been so in
creased that every international question from disarmament
to financing Europe's war debt is likely to be taken up.
AS these are things that vitality concern the whole
world, especially those nation. involved in the recent war, it
is but natural that such problems should be considered by all
of them. And Immediately after the signing of the armishce
was the time to dispose of them. That is what the League OF
Nations was organized for and there was every reason to be-
lieve that it would have accomplished its purpose if the one
single nation that, at that time, dominated the world had
thrown the weight of its influence toward the successful
functioning of the league.
For political reasons and to crafty personal hatred, the
United States senate, dominated by the Republican party,
would have nothing of the League of Nations. The greatest
falacy that the American people have ever had put up to them
was the argument that the League of Nations formed a
super government which was to destroy their nationality. As
if the people of France, Great Britain, Japan, Italy and all
the South American countries that readily accepted the
league as the greatest step forward in civilization, are not as
jealous Of their own nationality as are the people OF the
United States.
Just as President Harding has found it advisable to in
vite more and more nations to participate in the coming
conference at Washington, so it will be found before they
get through that the logical thing to do, IL any real service
is to be performed for humanity, will be to include all the
ions. And with the nations of the earth already banded
iogs&tr in a league, what better agency could be found
than such an organization to carry out the plan that the
coming Washington conference adopts?
There is no question about the importance of the Wash
ington conference now about to convene. The calling of
such a conference, in the light of what has taken place
since the armistice was signed, was the only thing left for
President Harding to do in order to remain consistent with
his party principles. 1t is to be regretted, however, that
anything concerning party politics had to be considered in
connection with this great humanitarian movement.
Try as they may, those who assume the difficult role of
explaining why this Washington conference was necessary
in spite of the existance of the League of Nations, will not
succeed in fooling the people. The only logical conclusion
for the conference now about to convene is that it reach
definite agreements on certain vital world problems and
then all agree to support to the utmost the League of Ma
lions in seeing that those agreements are lived up to.