New-York tribune., 1921-11-04


Asia and the overthrow Of the Ho.
henzollern dynasty imperialism had
been definitely hanished from tn.
earth.
To-day we realize how sadly VIC had
miscalculated, or shall I say how
cruelty wo were deceived? We had
trusted to the stability of sentim Mt
and to the professions of imperiled
nations that they were fighting a bat.
tie against the pretensions of armed
power; and they would see to it, we
thought, that when these pretension.
were defeated in the World War they
should never be made again by any
nation without prompt rebuke and
united condemnation. On the con.
trary. we now find that the situation
existing before the war is essentially
unchanged, except for q new distribu.
tion of power, and the military and
naval budgets surrass those for all
other purposes.
1t is true that many Of the watch
words of the war propaganda were of
purely American invention, the spon-
taneous expression Of American de-
slres and purposes; and it may there
fore be with some justice contended
that we were self-deceived. No one
definitely promised that the methods
of imperialism would not be employed
in the future by some of the victors of
the war. No one appears to have been
asked if there already were in exist
encc secret treaties that were contrary
to the spirit and the purpose in and
for which the war was alleged to be
conducted. No one made any contract
OF any kind with the American people
or government. We demanded none
Uncovenanted ourselves, we required
no guarantees in return.
No Promises Were Asked,
Therefore Mono Were Given
We cannot complain that promises
were broken. None were demanded
and none were given. We simply
trusted that our own emotions repre-
sented the purposes of our associates
in the war. Shall we ever do that
again? If | rightly interpret the mind
of many of our excellent citizens. ]
should say that it is not impossible
In Europe, when the Washington con
ference is mentioned, it is said: "Keer
cool. The disarmament conference
will come to nothing. When it is over
the Americans will themselves disarm
whether we do or not. The cost of a
great navy will frighten the taxpay-
ers; the politicians will make a cam
paign on this; they will win it, and
we shall put America out of the race
by simply doing nothing"
The time has now arrived, l think
when, in the interest of the peace oil
the world as we'll as our own future
peace, we must either continue nava
armament or demand guarantees on this
subject. The time could not be more
favorable for this effort than it is al
the present moment. What we need is
concrete case and concrete guaran
ties. Let US be done with distractions
and speak of realities. Let US STOP
talking of peace" in general, which
means nothing, and ask for solid as
surance Of peace with justice withir
an area which, if we are compelled tc
do so, we can ourselves control.
The question, therefore, which | wish
to pose in this place is, "Shall the Pa
c!fc Ocean be under imperial or under
democratic control?"
What is Imperialism? 1t is the prac
teal embodiment of the idea that
single nation, or small group of ma
tons united by system of reciprocal
compensations, can control the world
or at least some important division,
Of it, by means of organized armet
force. That was the theory of tn,
Roman Empire, which made the Medi
terranean q Roman lake; of the Ma
roleonic Empire, which aimed at di
viding the Euro-Asiatic world with tn,
Russian Gar, until the time came t
claim his portion, andvof the Germa,
Empire, the aspirations of which re
cuire no special reference here.
AT present, as result of the Worl,
War, imperialism on land appears t
have been at least temporarily arrest
tceatInusd On ssss thrse)