Evening star., 1922-02-11

lation to its tnsular possessions. In
case of controversy between the COW
enanting powers it is agreed to con-
fer and seek adjustment, and II said
rights are threatened by the aggres-
siye action of any outside power,
these friendly powers, respecting one
another, are to communicate. perhaps
confer. in order to understand what
action may be taken, Jointly or sep
arately, to meet menacing situation.
There Is no commitment to armed
force. no alliance. no written or moral
obligation to join IN defense, no ex-
pressed or implied commitment to ar
rive at any agreement except in ac-
cordapce with our constitutional
methods. 1t is easy to believe, how
ever. that such a conference of the
four powers is a moral warning that
an aggressive nation, giving affront
to the four great powers ready to TO-
Gus world opinion on a given con-
troversy, would be embarking on a
hazardous enterprise.
Frankly, senators, if nations may
not safely agree. to respect each 9TH
er's rights. and may not agree to
confer II one to the compact threatens
trespass. or may not agree to advise
If one party to the pact is threatened
by an outside power. then all con-
certed Efforts to tranquillize the world
and stabilize peace must be flung to
the winds. Either these treaties must
have your cordial sanction or every
and prevent war" becomes a hollow
mockery.
Eyes Turned to PaciAc,
We have seen the eyes of the world
turned to the Pacific With Europe
PROSTATE and penitsnt, none feared
the likelihood of early conflict there.
But the Pacific had its menaces, and
they deeply concerned US. Our terri
torial interests are larger there Its
waters are not strange snas to us. its
farther shores not unknown. to our
citizens. Our earlier triumphs of COM
merce were there. We began treaty
relationships with China fully eighty
years ago. in the youthful vigor of
our republic, and the sailings Of our
clipper ships were the romance of our
merchant marine. when 1t successful
ly challenged the competition of the
world. Seventy years ago Commodore
Perry revealed Japan to commerce,
and there followed that SURPRISING
development Of the island empire.
most gratifying reflex in the con-
ference just closed.
A century ago we began planting
the seeds of American friendship in
Hawaii. and seventy years ago Web
ster told the Senate that the United
oldIcS COuIQ never COuSchl 10 DEC
these islands taken possession of by
either of the great commercial pow
ers of Europe" Whether it was des-
tiny, or the development of propin-
guilty. or the influence of our colon
lists. or faith in our institutions, Ha-
waii came under the flag in 1898. and
rejoices today as a part of our re-
public.
Led to South Seas.
The lure Of the waters or the march
of empire, or the call of commerce or
inscrutable destiny led US on. and we
went to the south seas and planted
with Spain came our sponsorship in
the Philippines, and the possession OF
Guam: and SO we are deeply con-
cerned in the mid-Pacif1c, the south
seas and the very center of the far
east. We crave peace there as we do
on the continent, and we should be
remiss in performing a national duty
If we did not covenant the relations
which tend to guarantee 1t. For more
than a half century we have had a