Pueblo chieftain., 1921-11-21
BY FREpER1c J. HAsK1N

F.. Washington, D. C.. Nov. 1s.-That
that the Washington conference Is
really an effort to reach an agreement
between those two. which will stabi-
lize international relations enough to
permit the reduction of naval arma- :
ments, is the view held by many OF
the best informed observers
The two powers of course. are the
United States and Great Britain.
France and italy are powers in
Europe but in their present condition,
neither of them can alone exert a de-
cisive influence upon world affairs.
Japan is the one Asiatic power. but
she is not a world power If she stands
alone Her important part in the In
ternational affairs OF the last 20 years
has been made possible by her am
ance with England.
The public Is prone to regard the
conference as an effort to make war
impossible by agreements for the re-
duction of armaments to the point
where the nations will not be able TO
fight. AS a matter of fact. disarma-
ment is a minor phase OF the conter-
ence. Military disarmament probably
will not even be discussed. Naval ar
maments will at most be limited in
such a way as to reduce the burdens
of taxation and perhaps pave the way
for further reductions at some future
time. But such relation would not
make war impossible or even much
more improbable than 1t now is.
There are in the world certain forces
of military and economic imperialism
which make for war. They are pres
ent in all of the countries represented
at the conference except China But
In some other countries they are more
clearly dominant than In others. TO
curb these forces is the real object OF
the conference, or at least. Its pest
hope of taking a step toward insuring
peace. The conference will be an
other great exhibition OF diplomatic
horse trading, like the meeting at YER
sailles, but 1t need not be as futile as
that one was. 1t cannot hope to make
war impossible. 1t is even among the
possibilities that 1t will precipitate a
war But It Is also among the pos
sibilities that 1t will be a setback for
imperialistic ambition in several
quarters, that 1t will check naval
building, and that 1t will establish an
equilibrium in world affairs which
will make another world war improb-
able for long time. During that time
the revulsion of men against war,
which has been slowly growing since
the Middle Ages, will have a chance
of this feeling is the only thing that
can ever really prevent war. Gov
erfments inevitably make wars. but
whom the common man refuses to
fight them or pay for them. the gov
ernments Will be disarmed indeed
JAPAN's POLICY
One of the countries IN which the
fmperialistic or making feeling Is
most clearly dominant Is Japan. That
fact is recognized and admitted upon
all sides Japan has enforced her will
In Manchuria and Siberia She has
seized Shaunting and imposed her II
poifts upon China. These moves are
clearly the beginning OF a course OF
economic and military imperialism in
Asia which would inevitably cause an
other war sooner or later Further
more, this course on the part of japan
is inimical to the United States. be-
cause this country is committed to a
policy of maintaining the open door
(equal economic opportunity for all
nations) in China. and OF insurfng
China's national integrity and auton-
omy. This policy is embodied in the
Hay Doctrine. IT has been assented
to by practically all OF the other ma
tons In words, but II has been violat-
ed by all OF them in deeds. and cs-
pecially by Japan with the support of
Great Britain The United States
must either check this violation Of
her traditional policy with regard to
China or else she must withdraw en-
tirely from the Pacific. leaving China
to her fate.
There are some pacifists who ap-
pear to favor the Inter course. They
say that IL the United States disarmed
and withdrew from the International
struggle, other nations would even
tualiy follow suit. But this ID rather
hard to prove. II seems moro prob
able that IL the United States with
drew her influence from the Orient
she would merely leave It an open
field for the impcrialistic ambitions
of other nations, and that she would
eventually have to encounter this i'm