The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-08-31
BY HIRAM JOHNSON

kGIildLlI lEClf4 t-1A44 -fl MA
The desideratum OF the armament
Limitation conference IS the reduction
ot arnlaments. that the crushing bur
dens Of taxation may be Iessened and
that wars may Sc less likely Every
extraneous element introduced com
plicates the situation and makes ac-
complishment more diHicult. Because
this IS so obvious. many who look for
ard hopefully TO a new world era.
regret the injection into the confer
ence OF the vexatious far eastern
question Whether the solution or
the problems OF the 1Ar east Is a con
dition precedent to consideration ~
disarmament. We do nor know nov
nor do we know just what IS meant BY
tbs Far Eastern question. II genera
rules OF international conduct in the
orient are 70 be prescribed. perhaps
agreement may be reported without
great dir.culty
But the mere suggestion of shan
tung and Manchuria- Of the open
door" and the Lans!ng-Ishii agree
msnt with It's differing tnterpreta-
tions. OF spheres Of influence IN China.
of Korea and Siberia indicates the
possibility Of contention and delay
and the almost 1nsuperabIe obstacles
which must be overcome before the
real subject Of the meeting Is even
reached
The sinister thing which may spell
failure for the conference is secrecy
Already an atmosphere is being Gre
ated BY tie old familiar propaganda
70 taboo discussion and prevent free
expression. It IS gravely asserted
that Frank expression o1 opinion In
America concerning the matters 8.
consequence which may come before
the conference must not be INDUCED
in. that discussion be stiIled, lest sge
offend the delicate sensibilittes *
those from abroad In the senate. we
have been admonished that sugges-
tions will be futile bad manners In
due time, We are told all matters v4Il
be arranged and there will be tie
largest measure OF publicity COM
patible with getting the business
done" tThe compatible measure ~
publicity will be that some Official
will dole OUT in homeopathic doses to
ihe people Open sessions are
sneeringly dertded. Wo are pitytnglv
and sorrowfully advised that treaties
cannot be written with town meet
inEs. What memories these state
sound. How often US heard them
before the making OF the Versailles
treaty.
And the wonderful ana remarkable
thing about them is that some Of IL.
newspapers and politicians and states
men who most scathingly denounced
the reputation Of open covenants
openly arrived at" at Versailles IA
1919. now are the staunohest defend
ers OF secret agreements. secretly ar
rived al, at Washington. in 1921
Constantly and continuously unit
November. there should be the rank
est discussion Of everv phase OF ths
conference. The people should de
man open sessions and fullest puo-
Icity.
At the coming gathering. arraye3
on the armament side VIII be the most
pow werful OF world infueuces-mils-
taTism yet dominant tn many com
tries the greed Of those who profit h,-
war. all the evil lusts Of imperial
power. Against these. ore mighty
force alone can prevail. rlghteou
public opinion. Secrecy will make su-
tile this mighty force VITA open
sessions and fun publicity. diploma
cys hidden designs WIZ succurb Is
world public opinion
The men who meet in November arr
after all. but nero trustees. trustees
of hundreds Of millions The hun
dreds Of millions are entitled to know
what their few chosen agents con
template and are doing TO invest
these trustees with omnipoteuce an
To endow them with an invlolate
sacro-sanot character IS reversia7
e what had hoped tne great wsr
forever had DESTROYED