Evening journal., 1922-05-23
Uncle Ted's Bedtime Stories
The Hague "Party' Fails to Trick Harding

IN That's about the nveliest Jazz I've
iIheard in a long time. What's going
on?" asked Uncle Ted. as he sat
down for chat with Ruth and Jack
latter supper
"Oh that's another party across
4 the way" said Jack. There are
sure enough of them around here
these days"
Yes" said Ruth. the same crowo
4 goes from one house to the other
every night and every night the noise
Is worse"
"All of which reminds me OF some
other parties. larger but on the same
order" said Uncle Ted. Il was
thinking of the parties in Europe.
Every one they have Is livelier
nolsler and accomplishes less than
the one before and as If the meeting
places weren't already jammed to
overfiowing they want the United
States to join the crowd and furnish
all the amusement, not to mention
the money"
What parties do you mean"
asked Jack.
1--WE told you, Jack, Of the con-
ference at Genoa and what time
they had there. We kept out OF H.
thanks to our President. and we can
be mighty glad we did. for the party
ended without results and with
everybody feeling out of sorts with
4 the other fellow. Russia and Ger
many double-crossed the other boys
at the party and although Lloyd
George tried his best TO entertain
I the crowd and keep II feeling good
the results were the equal OF moth
ing. The foreign countries meeting
at Genoa met there TO try TO settle
a iot of serious problems confront
ing Europe They were not, as l
4 have told you before, problems af-
fecting the United States. II we had
taken part we would have been so
far involved in the whole mess by
this time that our President would
have been kept busy trying TO help
work out the other fellows troubles
J while our own troubles would have
gone uRsolved. AS II Is now, eve are
ready and willing, as always, 10 help
the more unfortunate. but we must
remember the teachings OF George
Washington and those great men
who followed him. that our domes-
tic problems must be solved first
and that we must keep from entan-
Cling ourselves with Europe. No
greater disaster could have befallen
this country than to have Joined the
world club. The men who had our
country's welfare at heart kept us
out. Our President today intends to
steer the ship OF State not only away
from the world club but away from
any party that has nothing to do
with the United States and would
mean getting the United States into
unnecessary trouble.
But to go on. The Genoa party
broke up and everybody is worse of
than they were before. Russia wants
help. She needs money. credits. Our
government is anxious TO help Rus
sia in any proper way. However.
there are too many other troubles
dragged into these parties, and I'm
Gle Sam is taking no chances. The
Genoa party was hardly over wnen
they commenced talking about an
other one. This conference will
probably be held at The Hague in
Holland in June. The powers plan
ming the meeting sent an ivitation TO
the United States 10 take part. The
invitation was sent by Italy, Bel
gium, Great Britain and Japan, and
It had hardly been opened when
President Harding told Secretary Of
State Hughes TO reply that the
United States could not accept. The
invitation was a surprise TO Press
dent Harding, but he was probably
no more surprised than were the
foreign powers at the speed with
which they received their answer.
Usually such diplomatic matters
take a long time. There is much red
tape to go through, but no so with
President Harding. He knew that
the United States should not accept
and h also knew that there was no !
use in taking a lot Of valuable time |
from home problems to talk about
It
Il want to read you a part OF the /
message which Secretary Hughes
sent TO these powers through our !
Ambassador 20 Italy.
This Government is most de- /
sirous to aid in every practicable /
way the consideration OF the eco /
nomic exigencies IN Russia ana
wishes again TO express the deep
friendship felt by the people Of the (
United States for the people OF Rus !
sia and their keen interest in all /
proceedings looking to the recovery |
Of their economic life and the return |
Of the prosperity to which eheir ca
pacities and resources entitle them. /
The American people have given the /
most tangible evidence Of their un- |
selfish interest in the economic re-
cuperation of Russia. and this Gov