The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1922-02-23
Conference Accomplishments
Shine Forth

Chapel his work elected eompara-
lively little praise from his aSSoei-
ates, was the object Of criticism BY
his enemies and Of indifference by
the casual passerby. None realized
the magniRcence of his work or the
wondrous beauty of his artistry un-
Ill the task had been completed, the
.caSolding removed, the accessories
cleared away.
Much the same might be said re-
paiding the work Of the Conference
for Limitation of Armament. Al
though it lasted but the short space
Of three months, publicc attention
wearied, critics multiplied and be-
came more caustic, and even many
of the friends Of the movement be-
came discouraged. This was because
the stupendouS task being performed
BY that conference was concealed
and confused by a multitude OF de-
tails and the confusion OF discus
sions. But now that the scaffoldlng
has been cleared away and the COM
pleted accomplishments of the con-
ference stand forth, it is conceded by
all true Americans, and BY the world,
that no body of men ever accomplish
ed more toward the peace OF the
wcrld, the upliftment of mankind and
the elevation of responsible public
opinion than did those men who OIL
cially composed the Armament con-
ference.
OF so momentous and stupendous
a work pages and volumes will be
written, so that it is impossible to
embrace within the confines of few
sentences a Just review Of its tasks.
However few sailed points may be
set down in passing.
First, was the assurance given up
on the opening day by President
Harding, who called the conference
that, This is not a council of nations
seeking to renake mankind, but a
convention of the leading powers OF
the world for the purpose Of apply.
ing the better attributes of mankinc
&c the pressing problems of the day
"a conference called by the United
States of America, because, as he
stated, I'VE cnly wish to do with yor
that finer, nobler thing which no ma
ton can do alone"
Coordinate with this was the very
definite program placed before it by
the United States, which called ii,
program to which it was firmly helC
by its chairman, Secretary Hughes
Upon its opening day its feet vert
placed in the straight path of dut,
that led to definite results by the spe
ciic and detailed statement regard
ing disarmament made BY its chair
man, Secretary Hughes.
In so far as this and other nation
we're concerned, another large contrl
buting factor to the success OF tn
conference was the fact, as the Pres
dent stated in his address on the clio:
ing day Of the conference, that n
nation was asKeG at any time TO SUI
render any Of its sovereignty, in
p2ir its nationality, or do anythin
that woulc humble its national pride
No intrigue was proposed, no offer
sive involvements were suggested.
was a conference of equal sovereign
discussing means by which the
could mutually work to serve til
common cause Of mankind.
In so far as the United States alon
is concerned, the conference was
success .ecause it was backed by til
people and because at every stag
of its progress and in every day Of i
duration the public was apprised
what the conference had done ar
what ii contemplated doing on II
morrow. In short, there was no s.
crecy. As a corollary to this, II
President placed upon the ofici
American delegation two represent
tives of the United States Senat
that branch Of the government coo
dina;e with him in the making ar
the conclusion Of any binding agre
ment. He went even further, in til
one of these selections Representa-
that political party which is oppos'
to the administration.
Virtually all the history of the co
ference was given to the world fro
day to day, nor did that frank pub
city end with the adjournment Of Il
conference, for on its final day
made provision for the publication
all the records in connection with L
conf renee and the complete minut
Of each days session. This will
given the world as soon as il is ma
up, so that the world may know W
decisions were made and why sor
proposals failed; who was to blan
to whom belongs the credit. The
will be no aftermath Of steel boxe
OF secret memoranda to serve bs
and partisan purpose, to befog
truth, to prejudice public opinion a
to aggrandize few individuals.
-
The Are on Saturday afternot
in which the Christian church bui
ing was destroyed, has again ILL
trated the fact that the water ma