Evening star., 1922-02-05
ARMS PACTS BACKED
BY NEW PEACE WILL
Creation of Better Understanding Among
Nations Regarded as the Greatest
Achievement of Conference.

Pietc. Hclr Judgment mas Oeeu WIZ
dicated by results.
II i: x
When all it said, it is found that
the success of the enterprise was
single question, if it can be regarded
question: Has the intelligence, COM
mon sense. humanitarianism and rea-
son of civilization reached the point
where nations can adjust their differ
ences and arrange their. affairs
through reason and logic. or is the
world still SO benighted that such a
result is unattainable?
President Harding and Secretary
Hughes placed their confidence in
the affirmative Of the proposition and
staked their all. Incidentally. the
pronouncement in the Affirmative is
more emphatic than was expected.
X II y 4
But the cynics are not yet COM
pletely routed. They are now asking,
Can the agreements be carried out?
Will the nations live up faithfully to
their agreements in naval Limitation
and submarine restriction?
The first answer suggested for the
affirmative Is that awakened good
feeling and the unanimity Of support
given the works Of the conference
should be a guarantee that they will.
AS far as human precaution can be
taken. regulations are provided in
dot I'll for their f,,16Iymapf ,,nder tho
watchful eyes of the world.
Elihu Root has supplied another
answer in the affirmative. in his elo-
quent address to the conference at
plenary session early last week.
He contended that the moral sense
Of the world, insisting upon what is
right, constitutes q power so invinci-
BILE that no nation will dare violate
the terms of the submarine agree
ment, and inferentially the other
pacts Of the conference. He classes
this moral sense as superior even to
consideration growing out of the pos
'sible exigencies. of war. since the
combined insistence Of civilization,
upon a policy is power sufficient to
ruin the nation which faunts it.
y 4 y X
President Harding thinks that one
of the chief accomplishments Of the
conference is the vindication Of the
Conference idea" He maintains
that it has now been proven that ma
.tions can settle their differences
without. resorting to war. and with
tragically before the eyes Of the
world for years to come. the council
board will be the resource Of nations
when difficulties arise. -
r X Ak-H:
One feature of the naval Limitation
agreement pointed out by Secretary
Hughes is expected to appease the ap-
prehensions Of a potential element in
the population of all the maritime ma
tions. He cited the fact that while
naval armament and construction has
been limited, national security is not
to be threatened. because the parity
of naval strength is to be maintained.
The nations will be as strong. rela-
lively. in the future as they are now,
with the additional assurance that
under the agreement that relativity
cannot be disturbed. That is a big
factor not to be overlooked. If one
nation should feel itself so prosperous
naval construction. it is prohibited.
This naturally is in a measure pro-
lection to all concerned.
X * y X
Here is thought occurring to some
of the politicians. in connection with
in the Senate: II the democrats pur-
sue the policy favored by many of
their ablest leaders of not interposing
party opposition to the treaties, will
not the republicans be debarred from
claiming too much party advantage
for the administration out of the sue
cess of the conference?
After all, thesspirit of the conference
has not been partisan nor even ma
tional. 1t has been international and
for mankind at large. Yet. people
say that if it had failed it would have
been a severe blow to the party in
power and by inverse ratio it is as
sumed that its success will reflect
great credit.
Some politicians think it may be
well to "let it go at that" and not
seek to give it a partisan tinge one
way or the other.