The Colorado statesman., 1922-01-07
FOUR POWER PACT
WILL BE RATIFIED
NOT A LEAGUE OF NATIONS, BUT
AN ASSOCIATION, AS 1T is
vlsUALiZED BY HARDING.
COMMENTS ON RESEMBLANCE
Wisdom Of the Unusual Publicity
Given the Proceedings of the Con-
ference on Armaments Has Been
Made Apparent to All.
BY EDWARD 8. CLARK

here In which "sl<lts" on current things
formed part of the diet, huge key
was held up to the gaze of the diners
with the statement that 1t had been
found. and that the owner was sought.
Attached to the key was tag on
which was printed Key to the back
door of the League of Nations"
Inc Instantly voiced suggestion of
the toastmaster of the occasion was
that the key might belong to Secretary
OF State Charles e. Hughes. There
was instant disclaimer of ownership
from one speaking in behalf of the
secretary, and the disclaimer was
coupled with the word that the key
could not even be slipped into one of
MIR. Hughes pockets because all of
these ordinarily useful receptacles
were sewed up.
In this little skit perhaps is to be
found the meat of the comment in
Washington concerning the agreement
for four-nations pact just entered
into by the pIenipotentiaries in behalf
of Great Britain, France, Japan and
the United States.
There is further assurance that
when it shall become necessary to
bind this pact the United States senate
Will approve it by the necessary ma
1ority. Some men will vote for 1t
who would not have voted in any cir
culnstances for something which was
much like it, but which was proffered
to the senate by different hands. OF
course the Horsepower pact is not n
league of nations. but 1t Is an associa-
tion of nations, as Mr.. Harding
visualizes such an organization. In
the book of synonyms league" and
association are printed one after
the other. There are shades of diff
ferences Of meaning In words given
as synonyms. 1t is hard sometimes to
detect the differences of shading.
Differ, But on Parallel Paths.
There is really wide difference be-
tween what seemingly is to come out
of the Washington conference and
what came out of the Versailles con-
ference, but the two things trot along
in paths parallel for some of their
course, but which, after some distance
has been covered, incline toward each
other and finally meet.
Joseph z. Tumulty, the one time
secretary to former President Wilson,
has set it down over his signature
that the ideas and the substance of
this treaty are Identical with those
found in the Wilson covenant, and he
quotes former pronouncements of Mr..
Lodge and Mr.. Taft to prove his point
Another man, who is said to be an
l. 81, t,,s N,-e.
of the Hague and not of Geneva.
Well, whichever it savors of, the diff
ferences of opinion on the subject, or at
any rate the differences of expressions
of opinion, which are not always the
same things as opinions, are perhaps
of little moment because it seems as
sured that the senate will accept the
agreement, ratify the necessary treaty
or treaties, and that the partnership
of the United States in Mr.. Harding's
association of nations will become an
accomplished fact.
In dispatches it has been said
authoritatively that the Japanese
would accept the naval ratio of
strength proposed by Mr.. Hughes on
the opening day of the conference, AS
SOOh II was tiAO NV
posal for a pact between the four
great nations was to be accepted it
was known that the Japanese accep-
tance of the 5-5-3 ratio or something
very close to it, also could be accepted.
Wisdom of Publicity.
Things have gone on rather swim
mingly since the day of the beginning
of the conference. There has been
more publicity than at any gathering
of the plenipotentiaries of the powers
since time was, and all this notwith-
standing the fact that the smaller
committee meetings necessarily have
been secret.
Prior to the coming together 1t was
held by most of the conferees that 1t
would be unwise to make any of the
committee meetings public. Today in
Washington the wisdom of the course
pursued is apparent. There have been
chickering's in the committee meetings
and perhaps an exchange of hard
word or two. but in the open all has
been peaceful, and moreover in the
open there is given the proof that no
matter how heated the conferences in
the committee rooms, satisfactory re-
suits finally were reached.
If the multitude of writer's assembled
here In Washington had been given
access % the committee rooms the
little quarrels might have been taken
to mean that greater quarrels and
final disagreement were to come. The
country would have been kept In
state of uncertainty and 1t is probable
that the animosities of the delegates
might have been increased by public
discussion of their differences.