The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-02-23
THE COMPLETED TASK SHOWS
ACCOMPLISHMENT

II Is related that while Michael
Angelo was decorating the Sistine
Chapel his work elicted compare
lively little praise from his asso-
ciates, was the object OF criticism
by his enemies and of indifference
by the casual passerby None real
! ized the magnificence OF his work
or the wondrous beauty of his art
I istry until the task had been COM
! pleted, the scaffoldings removed,
{ the accessories cleared away.
Much the same might be said re-
garding the work of the conference
/ for limitation of armament. AL
I though IL lasted but the short space
of three months, public attention
! wearied. critics multiplied and be
came more caustic, and even many
I of the friends of the movement be-
came discouraged. This was be-
cause the stupendous task being
performed by that conference was
concealed and confused by a multi
tude of details and the confusion
of discussions. But now that the
scaffolding has been cleared away
and the completed accomplishments
of the conference stand forth, 1t Is
conceded by all true Americans, and
by the world. that no bobby of men
has ever accomplished more toward
the peace of the world, the uplif:-
ment of mankind and the elevation
of responsible public opinion than
did those men who officially COM
posed the Armament conference.
OF so momentous and stupendous
work pages and volumes will be
written, so that it is impossible to
embrace within the confines of q
Few sentences just review of its
tasks. However few salient points
may be set down in passing.
First. was the assurance gives
upon the opening day by President
Harding. who called the conference,
that This is not a council of ma
tions seeking to remake mankind.
but convention of the leading
powers for the purpose of applying
the better attributes of mankind to
the pressing problems of the day
conference called by the United
States of America because. as he
stated, I'VE only wish to do with
you that finer. nobler thing which
no nation can do alone"
Coordinate with this was the
very definite program placed before
II by the United States. which called
II program to which it was firmly
held by its chairman, Secretary
Hughes. Upon its opening day its
feet were placed in the straight
path of duty that led to definite
results by. the specific and detailed
statement regarding disarmament,
made by its chairman, Secretary
Hughes.
In so far as this and other ma
tions were concerned, another large
contributing factor TO the success OF
the conference was the fact as the
President stated in his address on
the closing day of the conference,
that no nation was asked at any
time to surrender any of its sover-
eighty, impair its nationality or
do anything that would humble It's
national pride. No intrigue was
proposed. no offensive inducements
were suggested. 1t was a confer.
ence of equal sovereigns. discussing
means by which they could mutual
ly work TO serve the common cause
of human kind.
In so far as the United States
alone is concerned, the conference
was a success because il was backed
by the people and because at every
StdSc Vi itS piObitSS anu III every
day of its duration the public was
appraised of what the conference
had done and what IL contemplated |
doing on the morrow. In short, |
there was no secrecy. AS corol- |
larry to this, the President placed |
upon the official American dele
cation two representatives of the
United States Senate. that branch of
the government coordinate with him
in the making and the conclusion OF
any binding foreign agreement. He
went even further in that one OF
these selections represented that
political party which is opposed to
the administration.
Virtually all the history of the
conference was given to the world
from day TO day, nor did that frank
publicity end with the adjournment
of the conference. for on its final
day it made provision for the publi-
cation of all the records in connec
tion with the conference and the
complete minutes of each days ses-
sion. This will be given to the world
as soon as IL is made up, so that
the world may know why decisions
were made and why some proposals
failed. Who was TO blame, to whom
belongs the credit. There will be
no aftermath of "steel boZes' of Sc
cret memoranda TO serve base and
partisan purpose. to befog the truth
TO prejudice public opinion and 10
aggrandize a few individuals.