The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-12-04


United Statos Senator.
Tho world looks with faith 10 the
disarmament conference now SIT
ting IN Washington. Its confidence
ana hope were mCasurahly' tn
creased by the encouraging begin
nips the conference made upon It's
task, under the guidance OF Sccre
tary OF State Hughes.
For three years and more, thr
miscry-ridden. taV-burdoned people
OF the world have looked in vain
Tor some leader 90 point them a
pathway out OF the chaos and gloom
that cnshrouded them But they
have found their leaders onErossci
Tor the most part iva that futile
game Of "wcit-poltit." which nos
only brought on the world war. but
which made OF its settlement a
mockery, II not actually "A crime.
Public opinion Attracted.
In the midst Of this the proposals
OF the United States government for
conference to d.sCuss limitation
NJ armament came like clcar
light on the pathway OF "a benightcd
traveller The public opinion Of tho
world mean Of The great telling
struggling. downtroddeu masses o.
the world-turncd TO this hopeful
'hs NIIbu llf ltNlb'NI. I Ills DNNil.
opinion forced their governments
10 accept the American invitation.
We have now observed the he
ginnings of the conference. We
have Yet to see its results. but al
ready certain definite facts have
emerged. We saw Mr.. Hughes. with
unparalleled bOidness and clarity,
set forth in concise and definite
terms the proposals Of the United
States government FOR limiting the
naval armament Of the only three
world powers that amount to any
thing In a naval sense. We saw Mr..
Arthur Bafour accept in principle
and spirit" on behalf Of the British
empire, and Admiral Baron Kato
act likewise for Japan.
Landmark I'm History"
Speakers at the conference ses-
sion called IL landmark in his
tory" and SO 1t was, but while the
events Of the first two open sessions
form, without doubt, a development
OF the greatest Importance and sig
nificance a much more significant
thing happened outside the confer
ence hall
It was the acceptance by tho peo
pie everywhere Of the proffcred sal
vation. Hardly had the words died
came around the world, from men
OF all lands, Accept! Accept il
was this universal democratic
spontaneous voice OF the people
hailine the American plan--not be-
cause 1t was an American plan. but
because Il meant rescue, hope, lifr
that formed the greatest event OF
the opening days Of the conference
Dare the assembled statesmen ig
more this voice? Reflect upon tnr
situation. We sec a world convulsef
by the agonies which the follies and
crimes OF leaders have laid upon thJ
people. Hate seems almost law OF
life and devaSation n fixed habit
OF the race. Science has become
the prostitute OF war. Trade is sus
pended. industry Is paralyzod, fam
inc, ravcnous and Unsuitable, gath
ers millions into its skeleton
clutches, while unemployment
spreads and discomfort deepens. The
malign shadows of barbarism are
creeping up and over the outskirt:
ot civilization.
Dare Not Refuse. Belief
why is all this true? The ans
wer is written in the books OF every
national eNchequer -- wars, past
present and to come. Dare states
predict they will not refuse They
dare not refuse entirely and gC
home from Washington. Their peo
pie would turn them out Of office
However, there are ways of de
feating the hopes Of mankind. cen
tered now about the green table Il
Washington. These statesmen car
take the hopes and prayers of theil
people into some secret room anC
tlkere throttle them. They ,an warI
tho Hughes proposals into suci
shape that they will appear TO hav,
life, but be dead. II they emplo,
the secrecy and apply the crooked
and dishonest rule OF intrigue an,
folly which they used at Versai %
the world will once more be dis
appointed.
Danger In BalfOur Proposal.
The British reservation with re
spect to a repacement tonnage pre-
sents such "A danger. While Mr.. Bal
four most heartily commended tn,
general structure OF the America,
plan, he suggested that some mean
be found OF keeping at work certain
naval shipyards, 80 that at the enc
of the proposed l0-year naval hoh
day It would not be necessary &
start them all up afresh in ordel
10 begin building vessels for replac
Ing those which had in the mean
time become obsolete.
Right there Mr. Balfour may hav,
missed the whole point and pur
pose OF the American program.