The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-02-10
PRESIDENT SUMS UP
IN CLOSING ADDRESS
Harding Reviews Conferences Ac-
complishments Extending Over
Period of Weeks
The State

The State
Washington, Feb. 6.--The address
made by President Harding at the
concluding session today of the arms
conference follows:
"Mr. Chairman and Members OF the
Conference:
Nearly three months ago 1t was
my privilege 20 utter TO You sincere
words of welcome to the capital OF
our republic, to suggest the spirit IN
which YOU we're invited, and to init
mate the atmosphere in which you
We're asked to confer. In very gen
eral way. perhaps. ventured to eX-
press hope for the things toward
which our aspirations led US.
To-day it is my great privilege, and
an even greater pleasure, to come to
make acknowledgment. 1t is one OF
the supreme compensations of life to
con+amn)ate worth while accom-
plshment.
1T can not De other than seemly
for me, as the only chief Of the gov
ernment SO circumstanced as to De
able to address the conference, TO
sneak congratulations and to offef
the thanks Of our nation, our people;
perhaps dare volunteer to utter
them for the world. Ny own gratil-
cation is beyond my capacity to eS-
press.
.sTh;s conference has wrought
truly great achievement. 1t is hazard
ous sometimes TO speak in superla-
t;ves and l will be restrained. But l
will say, with every confidence that
the faith phghted here today, kept IN
in national honor, will mark the be-
ginning of a new and better epoch in
human progress.
Stripped 20 the simplest fact, what
Is the spectacle that has inspired
new hope for the world? Gathered
about this table nine great nations OF
the earth-not all, to be sure, but
those most directly concerned with
the problems at hand-have met and
have conferred on questions of great
import and common concern, on PROB
lens menacing their peaceful rela-
t:onship, on burdens threatening a
common peril. In the revealing hight
of the public opinion OF the world
without surrender to sovereignty:
without impaired nationality or at
fronted national pride, solution has
been found in unanimity, and todays
adjournment is marked by rejoicing
in the things accomplished. If the
world has hungered for new assur-
ances, it may feast at the banquet
which the conference has spread.
Cause of Dissatisfaction
81 am sure the people of the Unit
ed States are supremely gratified, and
vet there is scant appreciation of how
marvelously you have wrought. When
the days were dragging and agree
ments were delayed, when there were
obstacles within and hindrances with
out, few stopped to realize that here
was conference Of sovereign powers
where only unanimous agreement
could be made the rule. Majorit!es
could not decide without impugnlng
national rights. There were no VIC
tors to command, nc vanquished to
yield-aK had voluntarily to agree IN
translating the conscience Of our
civilization and give concrete express
! sion to world opinion.
And you have agreed III spite of
all difficulties, and the agreements
are proclaimed to the world. No new
standards of national honor have been
sought, but the indictments Of ma
tional dishonor have been drawn, and
the world is ready to proclaim the
odiousness of perfdy, Of intamy.
! 1T is not pretended that the pur-
suit of peace and the limitations OF
armament are new conceits, or that
the conference is a new conception
either in settlement Of war or in writ
ing the conscience of international
relationship. Indeed, it is not new to
have met in the realization Of war;
supreme penalties. The Hague con
ventions are examples Of the one, the
conference of Vienna, Of Berlin, OF
Versailles are outstanding instance!
of the other.
''The Hague conventions were de-
feated by the antagonism of one
strong paWer, whose indisposition tC