Arizona republican., 1922-01-03
Rv Eraderic ]. Haskin

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. g.
That the most important accom-
plishment of the conference has been
to afford the American people free
course in international affairs such
as they never had before, is an opin-
ion often heard here as the great
meeting draws to a close.
Public interest in the deliberations
is now perhaps declining, but at the
start it was keen. And never has
such a high level of newspaper COM
ment on great political event been
seen in this country.
1t is true that every nation poured
out its propaganda by the familiar
methods, but these partisan state
ments stood side by side with dis
cussion by experts which reached the
very highest level of impartiality.
A famous Socialist wrote from his
own point of view, under his own
name, and his writings were printed
by many papers who by no means
shared his views. An economist of
international reputation discussed
the matter from an economic point
of view. College professors, army and
navy officers, radicals and conserva-
tives, all have had a hearing.
Doubtless such a symposium OF
conflicting viewpoints is sometimes
confusing; yet never has the intelli-
gent reader had a better opportunity
to hear all sides and form his own
opinion.
And never before have the mo-
tives behind diplomatic moves and
pretensions been more clearly un-
masked. Compare the meeting to
that at Versailles, where self-interest
always advanced behind r barrage of
platftude.
The Work OF Public Opinion
In the first place, the common man
has seen what public opinion can ac-
complish. For it was undoubtedly
public opinion that created the con-
ference and that deserves credit for
whatever it may accomplish. The
Borah resolution, providing for such
a gathering, at first attracted no at
tention at all. Neither the American
government nor any II the other gov
ernments seemed at all interested In
it. But the Borah suggestion had
fallen on fertile popular soil. 1t soon
became apparent to the administra-
tion that there was a general popu-
lar demand for such a gathering.
Thus the average man is brought
to realize that he is the ultimate ar
bitter in matters of peace and war.
If the common man would not fight
and pay taxes, there would be no
wars. If governments could not drum
up a war to decide who shall have
the oil in Mesopotamia or the trade
in Mongolia, then the oil and the
trade would be peacably divided up.
OF course, the trouble is that some
peoples make more rapid progress
than others in getting over their ca
pacity for being fooled. A people
with something left in them of the
medieval war spirit is a menace to
the whole world.
None the less, in this slow but
steady popular revulsion against war
is the one real hope of permanent
peace. Doubtless a great world trl-
bunal will also be necessary, but thai
organization will simply be an ex-
preston of the popular will against
war and until such a will has been
developed, no international organi-
zation will be any more effective
than the league of nations is.
To realize the slow growth OF this
will against war, You must look
long way back. You must remember
that in medieval days kings made ag-
fressive war deliberately, in accord
ance with their divine right and thai
their subjects dared not refuse tc
follow them. Now every war is made
with elaborate apologies and with q
thousand pretensions of high mora
intent. The real rulers of modern
owners in them, and these property
owners make war for profit just as
the medieval kings did, but their pup
pets, the politicians, must provide fol
them vast smoke screen of apology
and pretense.
Fooling the public
In other words, once it was no
even necessary to fool the common
man. Now it is necessarily to foo
him, but how painfully easy it is
The question now is to what exten
he can get over his amazing ca
pacity for being fooled. Just before
We entered the world war the Ameri-
can people were in a most pacific
mood. They did not want war. They
reelected a president because he haC
kept them out of war. The actua
declaration of war found the greater
part Of the country Indifferent, apa
thetic. And yet within a few months
state of hysteria had been worked
up such as was never exceeded in tn,
Middle Ages. BY dozen awful bug