The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-31

will dole out in homeopathic doses to
the people.)
Frankness Sneered At.
Open sessions are sneeringly~ de-
rided. We are pityingly and sorrow
fully advised that treaties cannot be
written with town meetings. What
memories these statements arouse!
How familiar they sound! So often
have we heard them during the
making the, Versailles treaty!
And the wonderful and remarkable
thing about them is that some OF the
newspapers and politicians and
statesmen who most scathingly de-
nounce the Reputation OF open
covenants openly arrived at" at Yer
sailles In 1919, are now the staunch-
est defenders Of secret agreements,
secretly arrived at, at Washington,
In 1921.
Constantly and continuously until
November there should be the frank
est discussion of every phase OF the
conference. TA people should de-
mand open sessions and fullest pub
licity. 1t IL nonsense to talk about
"town-meeting made treaties" (al-
though II would be better for the
world II treaties were made In inter
national town meetings). and of for
bidding delegates to talk among them
selves.
'Of course, delegates will talk pri-
vately. but the business of the con-
ference should be transacted in the
open, and peoples who bear the bur
dens and pay the price should know
each contemplated step. Only thus
| can those who make nations decide
their own fate.
Militarism Still Dominates.
At the coming gathering. arrayed
on the armament eide will be the
most powerful Of world influences
militarism yet dominant in many
countries, the greed of those who
| profit by war, all the evil lusts of
| imperial power.
Against these one mighty force
alone can prevail. a righteous public
| opinion. Secrecy will make futile
this mighty force. With open SEES
sions and full publicity. diplomacy
| hidden designs will succumb to world
public opinion.
The men who meet in November
are after all but mere trustees.
! trustees OF hundreds OF millions. The
! hundreds of millions are entitled to
know what their few chosen agents
contemplate and are doing. To invest
these trustees with. omnipotence and
| to endow them with an inviolate
sacro-sanct character, is a reversion
to what we had hoped the great war
| forever had destroyed.
Deals With Futures.
The decisions OF the conference
under It's widened scope may deal with
the future Of peoples. with their re.
sources and possibly their lives.
II is the right Of peoples to know
and understand every possibility.
| They should know and understand the
meaning of proportionate disarma.
ment in the light Of Britain's recently
announced intention to build great
sea fighters and to maintain the
supremacy OF the sea.
They should know and understand
what, If any, alliances are asked Of
contemplated or what assOcia tons
proposed. They should know and
understand the economic possibilities
| and what may be suggested to Amer
| lea, the worlds creditor. They should
know and understand these things and
| all others before their servants at
! tempt to commit them and they should
have, as is their right, the opportunity
/ to voice their disapproVal.
Dull indeed have Americans become.
/ II no lesson has been learned in the
/ past seven years.
Hopeless is the future II the same
sinister forces can again in darkness
! juggle with the worlds fate.
/ Full and frank discussion, open SEES
sions, complete publicity and an en-.
| lightened and righteous public opinion
will max a new era.