The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-11-02
EDITO RIAL
SUCCESS OF CONFERENCE ASSURED

SUCCESS OF CONFERENCE ASSURED
AS the date for the Disarmament Conference
approaches it continues to grow in scope and i'm
portance. At first it was but patch of blue sky
spreading over small part of the Pacific area
but the azure has spread as the storm clouds are
cleared away by the winds of peace, until it now
covers at least half the armament. Every nation
with interests in the Pacific has asked to be rep
resented officially at the conference to be per-
mitted to send commissions to take part in the de-
alterations.
Holland is the latest addition to the list of as
socate nations. The Secretary Of States office
announced on Monday that an invitation had beer
extended to the government of that country and
that it had been accepted. Holland was perhaps
in position to claim place at the conference table
as right for three-fourths of the population UNI
der the Dutch flag resides in the Pacific area The
Dutch colonies in the Malay Archipelago have an
area of 100000 square miles and population of
38,000,000.
Consider for moment the position of Holland
in relation to these colonial possessions. Hol-
land in Europe has population of about 100000
The Dutch in the Malay Archipelago do not num-
Der more than $4,000. If the nations with in
terests in the Pacific are to go about like great
pirates, armed to the teeth and respecting no right
but that of force, how is Holland to protect her
island empire? The question of immigration is
one of extreme gravity; for there are already
100000 Chinese and 100000 other immigrant
Asiatics in the islands The one hope for Holland
lies in voluntary disarmament, and The Dispatch
feels that the presence of the Dutch commission
ers at the conference will aid materially in bring
ing about a unity of peoples in favor of peaceful
and just solutions of all international problems.
When one considers how much is to be won if
the conference proves success, even a sugges-
ton of failure becomes objectionable. There will
not be a single government represented whose
people can afford to take part in a competitive in
ternational contest for superior armament All
are too heavily burdened already by the taxes due
to wars and preparation for wars. The struggle
for existence has become too acute to permit the
further withdrawal of Sl0,000,000,00O yearly
from industry in order to apply it to ornaments
and the support of vast armies and navies.
Again the gate to peace opens, just as it did
IN November 1918. Again each government must
ask its people whether they desire to enter And
what reason can any people now offer for re-
naming in a world burdened with oppressive
taxation and bleeding from terrible and unneces-
sary wars?
Interest centers about the attitude of the jap
aneSe commissioners But Japan is in no condi-
ton to engage in a struggle for superior arma-
ment with the great white races of the west She
The entire wealth of the country is not sufficient
to maintain war for two years on the scale of
the last great struggle in Europe
An opportunity is offered to Japan to meet her
western neighbors on an equal and equitable
basis. This country possesses more than twice
the population and about ten times the national
wealth Of Japan. Yet she is now invited TO enter
into an agreement where this numerical and eco
nomic superiority viii not be cast on the balances
Justice takes no account of resources or arma-
ments. The Dispatch refuses to believe that the
government of Japan will be so blind as not to
recognize that the future progress and security
OF the empire depend upon reaching an agreement
for the peaceful solution of all questions relating
10 the Far East.
What would failure of the conference mean 10
Japan? She would be compelled TO strive to
secure navy equal in power to that of a country
with ten times her resources. And if that cour- ,
try should be determined to preserve its SUPER
iority, how could Japan hope to sustain contest
where the respective strength Of the two contest
ants would be 50 unequal?
The economic superiority Of the United States
over any other country with interests in the f,
Pacific area is unquestioned If force were 10 be
the arbiter We should be IN a more advantageous
position than any other people. But the people /