New-York tribune., 1921-11-17
imperialism,
Peace Peril.
Asserts Hill
Continued from page ons)

lcontinued from pags one)
what IS the international policy of the
United States? President Harding has
happily defined it as the pursuit OF
That finer, nobler thing which no ma
tion can do alone"
Ny mind keeps dwelling upon these
words, because they seem to embodv
the real sentiment OF the American
people, as we'll as the purpose of the
American government in calling this
conference
Is that finer, nobler thing the mere
saving OF expense? We might do that
alone by simply abandoning our navy
/ altogether or by reducing it without
reference to other nations. Can we
believe that the thing we aim to do
Is finer and nobier because by inviting
other nations to do the same we re-
tain some power of self-defense at a
lower cost? Certainly this was not
what was in the Presidents mind when
he chose these words: "The world. !"
he exclaimed, demands q sober con-
temptation of the existing order" Was
it not some modification of that ex-
lsting order that was in his mind
, How otherwise could the world be
profted by the sober contemplation of
existing ORDER?
Sober Contemplation Necessary
Having centered upon itself the at
tentlon of the civilized world by a
superb challenge to mutual sacrifice
the conference now closes its door and
goes into secret session. The com
mittees will now consider the technical
side of the naval question, i'll order to
secure the continuance of the existing
distribution Of power, and will also
l. n q
and the Far East. To these delibera-
tions the public will not be, and for
the moment, perhaps, should not be,
admitted. Upon the attitude of the
powers regarding the "existing order" -"
however. depends all that is really
important in the conference, and even
the wisdom of the American proposal.
There are perhaps abundant reasons
why the President and the Secretary of
State should refrain for the moment
from formal expression of American
Pacific and Far Eastern questions, but
it is timely for the American people
to apply their intelligence to them.
Exceptionally subject to the recurrence
of great emotional waves that some
times in short interval of time carry
them in opposite directions, and not
ably discontinuous in their attention
people, beyond all others, need to fol-
low the Presidents invitation to the
sober contemplation of the existing
order.
How necessary this attention is
should be realized by the results of in
attention when great matters we're un-
der consideration at the Paris confer
ence Then, with startling unanimity,
the American people were hypnotized
by a mere empty phrase. An lmpera-
tive and heavily subsidized propaganda
was instituted to force the Senate into
immediate acceptance of the covenant
of the League Of Nations az the
divinely inspired instrument for the
salvation of mankind. 1t required two
years of analysis and discussion before
the American people could understand
what this commitment would imply.
Now it is plain enough that insistence
upon a dogma held to be above ex-
animation lost to the United States at
Paris the leadership of the world.
There is at Washington chance to
regain it, and also chance to lose it
permanently, for the real question at
issue now is whether the world is to
be subject to economic Imperialism,
with its inevitable brood OF conflicts,
or governed by an understanding 10y
ally accepted and effectively safe
guarded between the great maritime
powers, particularly as to the future
destiny of the Pacific Ocean.
What is the existing order there?
We have seen the islands taken from
Germany quietly divided between two
imperial maritime powers, without the
slightest difference to the wishes or the
interests of the United States. We find
those powers in military alliance in
which each binds itself to make war
in common wherever its associate is
engaged in war. We find ono of them,
under this protection. claiming a