The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-11-16
PRESIDENT
SP PEAKS TO
CONFERENCE
President Harding as
the Representative
of the People Of the
United States Ap.>
peal for World
Peace

cises of the Disarmament Confer
ence. summoned by him as the
chief of the mightiest nation IN the
world, to consider ways and means
to disarm the war burdened and
war weary nations of the world,
President Harding addressed the
assembled delegates OF the great
powers. He spoke as follows:
Mr. Secretary and Members OF the
Conference, Ladies and Gentle
men:
It is a great and happy privilege
to bid the delegates to this confer
ence a cordial welcome to the capl-
tai of the United States Of America.
1t is not only satisfaction to greet
YOU because we were lately partlcl-
pants in a common cause. in which
shared sacrifices and sorrows and
triumphs brought our nations more
closely togethes; but it is crafty
ing to address you as the spokes-
men for nations whose convictions
and attending actions have so much
to do with the veal or woe OF all
mankind.
1t is not possible to overappraise
the Importance of such a confer
ence. 1t is no unseemly boast. no
disparagement CT other nations
which. though nc. represented, are
held in highest respect, to declare
that the conclusions of this body
will have a signal influence on all
human progression the fortunes
of the world
Here is a meeting, can we'll be-
lieve, which is an earnest Of the
awakened conscience Of twentieth
century civilization. 1t is not a
convention Of renlorse, nor a ses-
sion Of sorrow. 1t is not the con-
ference of victors to define terms
Of settlement. Nor is it a council
Of nations seeking to remake hu-
mankind. It is rather coming to-
gether. from all parts Of the earth,
to apply the better attributes of
mankind to minimize the faults in
our international relationships.
Speaking as official sponsor for
the invitation, I thing l may say
the call is not of the United States
of America alone, it is rather the
spoken word Of a war-wearied
world, struggling for restoration,
hungering and thirsting for better
relationship: Of humanity crying
for relief and craving assurances of
lasting peace.
1t is easy to understand this
worldwide aspiration. The glory
of triumph. the re o C ng Of
achievement, the love of liberty,
the devotion to country, the pangs
of sorrow. the burdens Of debt, the
desolation of ruin-all these are
appraised alike in all lands. Here
in the United States we are but
freshly turned from the burial Of
an unknown American soldier,
when a nation sorrowed while pay
ing him tribute. Whether it was
spoken or not. a hundred millions
of our people We're summarizing
the ineXcusable causes, the incal-
culable cost, the unspeakable. sac
rifices, and the unutterable sorrows.
and there was the ever impelling
question: How can humanity JUS
tify or God forgive? Human hate
demands no such toll: ambition
and greed must be denied it. If
misunderstanding must take the
blame, then let us Danish it, and
let understanding rule and make
good will regnant everywhere. All
of us demand liberty and justice.
There can not be one without the
other, and they must be held the
unouestioned possession Of all peo-
pies. Inherent rights are Of God
and the tragedies of the world
originate in their attempted denial.
The world today is infringing their
enjoyment by arnling to defend or
deny, when simple sanitay calls
for their recognition through COM
mon understanding.
Out of the cataclySm Of the
world war came new felloWshlpS,
new convictions, new aspirations. 1t
is ours to make the most Of them.
A world staggering with debt needs
it's burden lifted. Humanity which
has been shocked by wanton de-
struction would minimize the
agencies of that destruction. Con-
templating the Ineasureless cost or
war and the continuing burden Of
armament, ali thoughtful peoples
wish for real limitation Of arna-
ment and would like war Outlawed.
In soberest reflection the world
hundreds of millions who pay in
peace, and die in war wish thew
statesmen to turn the expenditures
for destruction into means of con-
struction. aimed at q higher state
for those who live and follow after
1t is not alone that the world
can not read Just itself and cast
aside. the eH cSs burdens without
relief from the leaders of me: Wal
has grown progressively cruel and
more destructive from first recorded
conflict to tnis prcgnan; day. and
the reverse order would more be-
come our boasted "iviliz ltion.
Gentlemen of the Conference
the United States welcomes YOU
with unselfish hands. We harhoi
no fears; we have no sordid ends
TO serve; We suspect no enemy; we
contemplate or apprehend no con-
Guest. Content with what we have
we seek nothing which is anothers s