The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-05-01

when he vowed the United States would uphold the Monroe Doctrine and was prepared at any time to fight for that principle? What else was the meaning of President Harding's address to the fleet in Hampton Roads Thursday when he said that "by the eternals' the United States would have what belonged to it, no matter who might stand in the way?
 Congress discusses and struggles with the tariff only to find that nowadays the tariff is more complex than ever and stretches cut it's complicating hand to Europe. Congress attempts to struggle with taxation. but finds it difficult to reduce the present rates when for the next two or three years it appears that we will have to continue to spend money on a war basis. Congress studies the situation with respect to the far mer and finds that he has surplus stocks on his hands because Europe and the rest of the world cannot afford to buy even foodstuffs at the cost of pro ducing the crop in this country. Con gress takes up the Knox resolution for separate peace with Germany, but 1t doesn't show any enthusiasm over the measure, for it is realized that this mere declaration of an end of the state of "oA "'ti AOt pA HIS p0aSS tO NiiS WOii0, nor will it lessen the complications and responsibilities of the United States in the European situation.
 HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT
 Tn the eyes of the world the United States stands committed to play great and determining part in world affairs. It was comparatively easy for senators to blind themselves to this fact when great political game was being played with the presidency as the stake, there being none so blind as those who will not see. But these same senators, now that they have become a very essential part of the party government in control, have been visited with a great light. Some senators who in the heat of par tisan strife had been foremost in move- ments designed to hamper the Wilson administration in foreign affairs, ap- plauded long and loud when President Harding, addressing Congress, said he felt in his heart there would be no de- sire on the part of anyone in Congress to embarrass the executive in his con- duct of the foreign relations of the United States
 There are those who believe that his- tory has a way of repeating itself They are citing the fact that it was Germany
 
 made him the world figure of half a century. Now it is Germany which again seeks out the President of the United States and makes him the central and dominating figure in an attempt to save the world from the new menace of dis agreement over the German separations.
 AMERICA WILL COME
 At a time when Woodrow Wilson was declaring that America was toor proud to. fight and advocating peace without victory" the experienced men of Eu- rope shook their heads and said Amer ica will come in.'' During the last cam- paign and in the days of waiting for the old administration definitely to expire and the new to take hold, these same worldly wise observers have been saying on one or more of the tangled peace set dement's and world chaos America will come in,'' and it would seem as if their vision is as correct now as it was in 1915, 1916 and 1917. Some go so far as to say today that America already is ''in'' and that we can never withdraw from the world councils again.
 The state department at Washington this week has been the center of the diplomatic world, just as it was in the days of actual war
 Meantime President Harding yearns for return to the normal days, when a chief executive could devote himself to a study of the domestic problems and could feel that he had only his own people to look after. MT. Harding wants to help business, and the American peo- pie generally but he finds himself well night helpless in these respects with world calamity always at the horizon.
 In the cabinet discussions, where a brave attempt was made to take up domestic questions, there no longer is an effort to keep away from foreign rela- tions and European affairs.