The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-12

The Republican League.
tie q Very Little One.
It's Uncle Sam and Company
Washington Would Roll Over
by ARTHUR BRISBANE-l
(Cspyrisht. Iss1.S
It's Q simple little treaty-iust
born. Only four can play-Eng-
land. France. Japan. and U. S. A.
--and the playground is the Pa
cific.
China cannot come in. She
never had the gumption to steal
or acquire Pacific islands from
Euiltless natives. Taking islands
from them is like taking candy
from . baby.
We, the new Big -Four. have
taken the candy-nearly all Of 1t.
And. like gentleman highwaymen.
are trying to agree not to cut
each others throat over the
spoils. That is how it would look
to one from a civilized planet.
The treaty. naming 'high con-
tracing powers" used six words
to name France. six for japan.
eight for America. and forty-three
for Great Britain. That old lady
brings in all her children--Can-
ada. Australia. New Zealand. In
dia-and the treaty calls George
"king Of Ireland" among other
titles.
It Is sort of league Of ma
tions-which the people told Pres
ident Harding they did not want.
But he. can say of his league
what the apologetic. husbandless
British house-maid said to the
Judge about her baby: "It's a
very little one"
This league does not tie US up
with all creation-as did the
other. 1t has no Article x. per-
mitting Europe to draft our men
and money and declare war on us.
1t lasts ten years; you can re-
sign on one years notice-thus
giving the other three an excuse
for fighting.
Suppose trouble breaks out
in case, for instance, Germany,
grown powerful, should try to
take back Nauru.
On that tiny Pacific island,
which England hastily took from
Germany the other day, there
are about five hundred million
tons Of phosphate, enough to
fertihxe all Germany and pay
the German debts. Germany
built the inland roads, installed
machinery to ship phosphate
across the coral reefs to big
ships. Germany taught or
forced the natives to work, in
stead Of drinking cocoanut milk,
eating fish, swimming, and sit
ting in the sun.
II Germany started, with Rus
England, the Pacific Big Four,
Ourselves included-would hold
q conference and decide on
measures to be taken. -
That Article 2 of the Baby
League is the milk in THAT
cocoanut. We are in a deal,
loosely drawn, but morally bind
ing, to KEEP things as they are
in the Pacific. We insure Eng
land, France, and Japan IN
peaceful enjoyment Of what be-
fonxed to the natives, and they
insure us.
We don't NEED anybody's
help il we would only mind our
own business exclusively, but
we are unable to do that. The
temptation to be great interna-
tional statesmen" is too strong
for some of us, and the clever
arguments of Balfour and others
are convincing.
However, the future will tell
there is little doubt that the
Republicans who so proudly beat
Wilson's league will put through
lust what we have got into-for
this little imitation Of their own.
III RuSSR, IeTindIly anu uCoPi'S>
China, with German intelligence
and military directing, should gel
together, it might become interest
ING. When four nations form (
league, four-or ten-others vii
do the same.
One thing is sure-let peac'
patriots and taxpayers notice it
This league makes it more neces
sary than ever for us to be pre-
pared for trouble, since the leagu
opens up four wide trouble avenue
or, rather, forty. How many inter
national complications could in
penuously be tied up with Pacifi
island possessions?
Japan has blandly suggested tha
We refrain from fortifying our Fa
Eastern lands-Guam, well pre-
pared, would hold japan. She know
it. What will be the next sug
pestion, now that We are all littl
pals together? Will it be to leav
g. q Il