The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-01-29

In the days OF tho Paris confer
ence, when the American cores.
pondents were busy reporting the
vast volume OF praise of the league
derived from European Sources 1t
required but little examination to
show that these psnegyrics0 were
chiefly coming from those who were
trying to buy American support at
the slight cost OF polite but insin-
.cere praise for an American prof.
ect. But those Europeans who
praised the league OF nations In
Washington during the present con-
ference were the same persons who
spoke against II In Paris three years
ago. Moreover since the American
official world was obviously dead
against tho league, MT m could sus,
pect that European praise here was
influenced by any desire to praise.
In Paris Americans argued for the
for the league passionately against
n cool European \skeptiCism. In
Washington, American opposition to
the league was passionate. but II
left Europeans politely mistaken.
For obvious reasons no Euro
pean would undertake TO forecast
an immediate or perhaps v an
eventual American entrance Int
the league OF nations, but IL may
well he that one result OF the
Washington conference Will be an
expansion rather than contrac-
ton OF American participation In
world affairs. Moreover, not "a few
Europeans declared themselves as
founded by the o and sup
port they found here for the
league.
In any event what seems
ably sure now IL that just as Ameri-
CAM refusal to enter the league OF
nations two years & did not fatally
cripple Il, so the Washington confer
ence, by failing to create n rival
association, has tended to strength
en- rather than TO weaken the pros
poets of permanence of the Geneva
body.
As 1t stands the league OF nations
is the only international assemblage
in which 1t is now possible to bring
up and discuss such questions as
land disarmaments. on which no
progress was made in Washington,
and such problems as the regulation
OF sea power, concerning which n
limited progress has been made at
Washington. W. were handicapped
at all times here on such questions
as the submarine by the fact that
only nine powers were here repre-
scented out of the two or three score
of nations whose assent would pc
needed to bring about world ADJUST
ment. We were even more gravely
handicapped in dealing with prob
lens like Shantung by the fact OF
the Versailles treaty with its league
of nations circumstance. on the
whole the Chinese probably would
have Jared better and found a ore
friendly audience II they a pre-
scented their case to the assembly
powers gathered around the green
table at Washington.
In any event (and this Ii the point
which / wish to emphasize the
washington conference will lead In
evitably to a reaction in favor or
Geneva, in Europe IL not in America.
Not only is this apparent on the race
of things, but It is the settled judg-
ment of most OF the Europeans who
came here, eager or anxious as the
case might be, to discover what
America had to offer in place Of
the league of nations, which was
proposed by Mr.. Wilson and subse-
nuently rejected by the American
senate and the American electorate.
They were eager TO know II the
new American president ana the
new administration were going 20
present a new idea and offer Amerl-
can participation in world atfalrs
on new terms. Frequently repeated
declarations about an association OF
nations at the white house and else
where had aroused expectations
and stimulated curiosity.
AS a result OF the Washington con-
ference, Europe and South America
as we'll know now that II the pres
ent administration does not hccept
the method OF Mr.. Wilson 1t mas
been unable to find or formulate
any substitute. That VIC are still as
unwilling TO Join the league as w"
were before the Washington CONFER
ence most Europeans VIII prooaoly
concede. That we will not consent
Ia a useful partnership In worid reg
ulatlon at the present time Is also
a fair supposition. But accepli"s
both these things there was anu
there Is. as / have said, n pretty
clear decision ON the part OF the
foreign delegates here not only 10
continue to adhere to the league
az nations, but also to continue u
even to redouble efforts to make II
more effective and to cave IL OPP
tional with the United states as 10
whether It will Join or stay u ana
the matter rests there.
Thus as a consequence OF the
washington conference h league
NJ nations so far from being weak
ened will in my judgment be greatly
strengtheIed, It's world prestige VIII
be increased not impaired, ana lts
nermanence can no longer be re-
garded as a matter open 10 DOUBT
Probably very few Europeahs
would go as far as my trlehu
Philippe Millet, foreign editor OF tne
petit Parisien, who insisted that IN
lime. we Americans would recognize
that the league OF nations was the
hest thing that the United states
rad ever given to the world, but
most Europeans who came 70 WASH
lngton were agreed that It a oeen
a substantial gift.
OF course there Is nothing in COM
mon between the actual opinion OF
The defenders OF the
league and the American
~ fhe idea. We advocated II, those
of us who did. with something Oh
a religious frenzy and our campaign
ing for n took IN the haracte OF
"a camp meeting revival. The Euro
mean has no such feeling about the
matter. He thinks OF 1t rather az
~.xohkntca1 than a auirltudl tnlnE