Evening star., 1922-12-29

minds again floats the picture of
p!ethoric Uncle Sam. warm hearted
and generous. opening his purse TO
the hand of need. whether meritori-
Gus or meritricious They dream
dreams of more loans of huge sums
without either security or maturity.
and in imagination they arc already
Of national or individual suffering.
but in preparation for more JOY rides
Of imperialism, militarism and ag-
grandizement. 1t is true. sir. that
our Department OF State, in the event
that this conference should be sum-
moned. would draw it's agenda: but.
like many a preacher. who having
taken text breaches from it, We
would surely find the conference col
laterally raising questions which are
not directly within its purview. and
the result of which would be to en-
taugle and embroil the United States
in all the jealousies and rivalries of
was the moving cause for our re-
lection of the treaty of Versailles.
and none who held to this opinion
can ever forget or sufficiently reward
the senior senator from Idaho for the
valiant and successful leadership
which he gave to our earlier action
here, nor for the vigor and eloquence
with which he swayed the minds of
his fellow countrymen when the
issue was taken to them in a great
and solemn referendum.
Division Over Repnrations-
THE implications Of what is now pro-
posed cannot be winked out of sight.
The letter of the President read here on
Thursday contains some hint of item.
If we engage in any conference such as
Is here outlined, or in any conference
held prior to some earnest attempt On
Europe's part to clean her own house.
We shall find ourselves in the anomalous
and disagreeable position of making de-
cisions between two equally balanced
groups of contenders. Our absence from
the reparations table leaves the repara-
tions commission equally divided upon
substantially every question which has
thus far arisen The representatives of
England and Belgium generally vote to-
gether. with the representatives Of
To us. II we sat there. or whenever We
sit there. would fall the decisive vote
and the decision OF the umpire. Our
national game. sir. daily demonstrates
the uncomfortable position which the
umpire occupies; and ! have no desire
tie thrown from the European bleacile!s.
THE only conference which can ever
be summoned TO produce a satisfactory
or efficient solution for the ills of Eu-
rope Is a conference composed OF the
powers signatory and adhering TO the
completely to rewrite its provisions, to
eliminate the greed which marks its
every paragraph. to recast the illogical
and impossible boundaries which 1t has
set up, and to adjust the compensation
for the foes aggression in a fixed aid
possible sum and In a manner capable
of execution. Until such a conference
is called. 1 shall oppose the participa-
ton Of my country in any other"
Senator Borah vigorously replied to
his critics. He insisted that his pro-
posal provided for safer and saner
method of dealing with European
problems than did secret diplomatic
channels.
The Presidents letter revealed un-
that negotiations are being conduct
ed now to accomplish the same OBJ
jective as would the conference
have proposed"
Senator Borah declared that the
only difference is over the method to
be employed.
Question for Public.
Continuing, Senator Borah said:
But for the power of public opin-
ion. beating in on the Washington
conference on limitation Of arma-
ments. I venture to say the serious
differences which arose there would
never have been adjusted at all. Tn
til the same power of public opinion
is exerted-until the countless mil
lions here and abroad upon whom
the real burden of the situation is
imposed are allowed to employ their
influence in defining what shall or
what shall not be done by their rep
resentatives-condit are bound to
continue from bad to worse and the
world to be threatened with economic
disaster if not by another conflict"
Senator Borah said that the situation
cannot go on much longer without be-
coming infinitely worse. Senator
Borah said that there is ample prece-
dent for the United States participat-
ing in conferences with foreign ma
tions. He cited the Russian-Japanese
peace conference held at Portsmouth.
N. H., at the instance of former Presi-
dent Roosevelt.
Senator Borah quoted from the pro-
gressive platform Of 1912 on which
didate for Vice President with Theo-
dore Roosevelt as candidate for Pres
ident. to show that the progressives
in convention had indorsed the ''pres-
ervation of world peace by conference
and the judicial method rather than
by war" He said that the republican
party in its platform Of 1920 took the