The Washington times., 1921-12-15


that has led up to this settlement. 1t
is the adaptability. the intelligent ana
sympathetic understanding shown by
japan in these transactions.
The Japanese seem to be the most
flexible minded of peoples. They win
my respect more and more. In these
days of imperialist competition they
stiffened to, conscientious selfish
ness and q splendid fighting energy.
Now that q new spirit of discussion.
compromise and the desire for
brotherhood spreads about the world
they catch the new note and they
sound 1t with obvious sincerity and
good will.
No people has been under such
keen and suspicious observation here
as the Japanese. The idea Of them
as of people insanely patriotic.
periodically subtle and treacherouR.
mysterious and mentally inaccessible
has been largely dispelled.
l myself have tried that view over
in my mind and dismissed It, and
multitudes of the commonplace men
have gone through the same expert
ence here. Our Western world, am
convinced. can work with the Japa-
nese and understand and trust them.
Time Here Growing Short.
1t will be for other and ADLER pens
to record the detailed working out Of
the results of this great conference,
this new experiment in human rea-
sonableness. as far an 1T affects
Shantung and zap and Hong-Kong
and Port Arthur, and so forth.
My time in Washington is draw
ing to an end, and I will confine my.
self now rather to that broader and
vaguer question in which I am more
interested, the question Of what lies
behind and beyond this most success
full and hopeful beginning In open
international cooperation.
Great and important az the confer
ence is, the growth of a real and
understandable project for the steady,
systematic development Of an effec-
tive international world peace which
has been going on in mems minds
here and in the world generally in
the last two months Is q much
greater thing.
1t is a quite amazing mental growth,
something very quiet and simple and
yet astonishing, like q clear crystalli-
cation out of turbid solution.
Before the conference gathered civil
lied people throughout the world were,
1 think. quite confused about how the
peace of the world could ever be or
ganized and rather hopeless about its
being done.
Now / think there is a widespread
and spreading unanimity that there
is a way, a practicable way and q hope
full way, by successive conferences. by
widening peace agreements, by the
establishment Of permanent joint COM
missions, by systematic education and
the sedulous cultivation of confidence,
along which humanity may struggle
and will struggle out of its present
miseries and dangers toward the dawn
Of a new life.
Not Yet Out of Wood.
The next conferences that are indi-
Gated will gather in a mood OF hope
fulness and experience that will be the
most precious legacy Of the present
conference.
One that must follow very soon must
deal with the economic rehabilitation
of Europe. Here, 1t seems to me.
America, Britain. France, Germany,
Italy and Russia at least must meet.
And soon.
In the Christmas mood, in the phase
OF relief that radiates from Washing
ton and Ireland now, we must not let
our elation blind US to the fact that,
for all the light that breaks In upon
us. we are not yet out Of the wood.
Millions are starving today. great
masses of men degenerate physically
and morally In unemployment, Euro
pean industrialism crawls and staggers
still. We have laid the foundations
of a new era, but the building has
scarcely begun.
And in addition to the world eco.
nomic conference, there ID also nee1
~ another conference to face the still
more difficult task OF military dis.
armament and the denomination OF
the factors of conflict In the AFRO
European area.
Personally, I want to see America
in that conference also, because 40
recognize that the freshness OF mlno'
the deliberate diplomatic inexper1ence
of America, Is factor OF priceless
value in these discussions.
would like to see that conference
ol.o held in an American atmosphere
and before an American audience
IL only for the sake Of Europe. Ana
II America can be interested IN
Kwang-Tung, do not see why
America should not also be interested
in Silesia. or Cilicia, or Senegal, or
,ho Congo. which are all very much
nearer. A..
The appetite for conferences, the
belief in conferences, will grow with
what 1t feeds upon. One sees these
gatherings, with their accessory
coumissions. permanent secretariats
and increasing world services, be-
coming customary and necessary
peace control of the earth.
A Growing Brotherhood.
And the peace control craving IN
this natural fashion will consist al.
WAYS and solely of the efficient and
Wiling nations of the world. There will
be no forced inclusions and no pre-.
mature admission Of incompetent and
feeble peoples. The pedantry that
would 1--WE every sovereign power,
howe,~ little or rotten. vote. a
nice saleable vote, In the manage
ment of the worlds affairs will play
no part in this evolution. The As
sociation of Nations will be a grow.
ing brotherhood Of strong and
healthy and understanding peoples;
bound only by a bond Of self-denial
and mutual restraint toward the
weaker folk Of the earth. The CO.