New Britain herald., 1922-01-30

bound and had long been bound they got in the habit of being bound and they struggled little against their fet- ters; those struggles, weaker than in the past when the chains were first forged, were ineffective, half-hearted struggles
 Other men, not hound by old chains. saw the antiquity of the bonds and sought to free the old men from them, but the imprisoned persons would have none of the freedom, The chains had become part of them; they had kept them safe; they believed in them
 This represents the situation at Washington today in regard to at- tendance at the Genoa conference the attendance at any conference or the doing Of anything seemingly dis- loyal to the old habits of thought which have become part of the minds Of men in high places who either have thought those thoughts for years, or men who have followed other men thinking along the same
 lines.
 Half century ago the thought Of participating in such conference In Europe, where the affairs of Europe might be discussed before the eyes Of the United States, would have seemed terrible and entirely needless Today the thought brings shudder 10 the monds of men who while Vitally alive to the situation of the day and | full of knowledge of the facts, are ln- nuenced subconsciously by the habit of thought of years ago--thoughts or their own. or thoughts of men whom they have followed.
 Possibly President Harding sees the faint light of the understanding Of the inevitableness of the participation of the United States In affairs of the world, dangerous or safe. Possibly in his campaign for the Presidency, and his refusal to avoid entirely the sub feet of a possible "closer association he was inspired merely by the knowl- edge that the idea of isolation" was repulsive to the people at large.
 But the trouble is with the Presi- l.. of ,ff of the Genoa conference, that he is not sure enough that he does see that light, or else he is too timid to pro- claim his perception and insist that such inevitable participa- tion in he world discussions had better be begun at once. Such men as Senator Lodge and those who follow him, unconsciously perhaps, while possessing keen minds and splendid knowledge of world affairs far more than many who criticize them-are, nevertheless, bound by old chains They are reactionaries by na- ture, try as they may to throw off the influence of the past. And they lead; their opinions are given the weight which should be accorded opinions of wise men. But the taint of old habit of thought is there held fast by hu- man inability to eradicate it.
 Today it is the opinion of the best authorities reporting the Washington situation that it was President Hard ing's personal wish to have the United States represented at Genoa. The az ricultural interests have declared their belief in the necessity of the United States taking a more prom inent part in assisting the worlds economic affairs The financial inter- ,ests favor such position-and the interests, often opposed to the peo ple's, are the peoples interests in this matter because they must be. The President is considering" the invi tation to Genoa. If he fails to take a strong stand, to throw off the chains, and if he listens to the advice of those of his Cabinet and Senate friends who are unwilling to see the step taken, he will be postponing the day, sure to come, when the United States must self, and not fear to join the world of which it is such a prominent part.
 If we do not throw off our own chains voluntarily, in the way we want to, circumstances may drag them from Us in way we do not like so well.