The New York herald., 1921-12-23
Picking at Small Points
Shows Serious Flaws Are
Lacking, He Says.
CREDIT GIVEN HARDING
Open Minded Frankness Adds
to Esteem in Which He Is
Held by World.
by WICKHAM sTEED.
Editor OF London Times.


Editor OF Londo,, Times.
Copyright, 1921, by United Neps.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-There is
much encouragement in the campaign
against the quadruple Pacific treaty
that has reopened as result of the
admitted divergence of view between
President Harding and the American
delegation upon the exact meaning Of
the phrase "insular dominions."
IT nothing worse can be said against
the treaty than what its opponents are
now saying its chances Of survival
would seem robust. Provided always
that serious slips or errors be avoided
in the treatment of the remaining
points Of the agenda, the work of the
conference as whole should be so
impressive as to command solid sup
port from the bulk of the American
people.
In the Senate on Wednesday a promi-
nent, irreconclable Senator Reed of
Missouri. assailed the treaty and COM
pared the situation to partnership be-
tween blacksmith and wheelwright OF
Arkansas, who merged their businesses
under the sign: "All kinds of twisting
and turning done here The suggestion
Is obviously that the American delega-
ton, in company with their foreign COL
and tortuous attempt to hoodwinl1 the
American nation.
However suspicious Americans may
be Of foreign wiles. they will scarcely
condemn their own Administration un-
| heard; and fortunately a frank an
| nouncement of the discussions that
preceded the final drafting Of the treaty
would dispel misgivings. Sooner or
later the announcement will doubtless be
made. The sooner the better.
Merits of Four Power Treaty.
The real significance of the quadruple
treaty is that it removes, the Anglo
Japanese Alliance and creates, for a dec
ade at least. the framework of an
organization for consultation between
| the Asignatories upon any question that
may seem to imperil peace in the Pa
ciflc. 1t does nothing more. Nor does
it contain any obligation, expressed OF
implied, that any party shall use armed
force to uphold whatever view that party
may advocate.
To call the treaty an alliance" Is
therefore misleading. An alliance speci-
flies the eventual use Of armed force for
the attainment Of its objects. The Aus
tro-German alliance OF 1879. which
formed the basis for the Triple Alliance
pledged the parties to stand by each
other with their entire armed strength .
to wage war and 10 conclude peace joint
ly The Franco-Russian alliance had a
similar sense.
The Anglo-French Entente conta ined
| no pledge of armed assistance from,
| Great Britain to France, though 1t was
flanked by a military convention en-
titling France. in the event Of unpro-
voked aggression. to count upon the sup
port Of six British divisions. Subse.
Quently this convention was supple
mented by a British undertaking to pro.
tect the northern and Atlantic coasts
of France against unprovoked naval at.
tack.
But Great Britain remained free to
decide whether or not the attack or
France were unprovoked. The entente
was, therefore, not an alliance until the
parties to it decided to make war with
their whole armed strength for the pro-
lection Of Belgium.
Misunde rstnnding Might Result.
AS for the argument that there is
something repugnant to American senti-
ment in O. treaty which declares by i'm
plication that the United States does
not intend to attack the Japanese home
land. it is best put the other way round
The exclusion of the Japanese home
land from the scope OF the agreement
4 vria IN that
the United States is unwilling to re-
spect the Japanese homeland.
Cool headedness, good faith and some
| recognition OF the heavy strain under
which the delegates have labored are
| alone necessary to secure a common
sense view of the treaty Issue. And
when President Harding's open minded
franlness is regarded In its true light. II
will be seen to have added yet another
| claim to his already convincing title to
! the esteem and affection OF the world.
This conference ia emphatically his
work. and through him II Is the work OF
| the American people. The members OF
the American delegation. like those OF
the foreign delegations, feel pride In hav-
| ing been associated with him In an hon.
| est endeavor to carry It triumphantly
| through.
! Nothing that has yet happened weak
ems the belief have often expressed
| that | will be carried through trium-
phantly. Neither the Shantung issue, nor
the Chinese tariff, nor the eight or nine
| Power agreement upon China, nor the
subsidiary naval ratios. seem likely to
form obstacles so great hat they cannot
! be overcome.
The opinion of the civilized world
would irrevocably condemn any who
should obstruct or oppose the broad sue
cess of the conference. Therefore, do
not for moment believe its success can
be endangered.
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