The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1922-02-24
VOLUME XXXVlIl
ENGLAND NEVER FAILED
EXCEPT AT VERSAILLES.

The Tennessean last Sunday car
ried an interesting editorial on the
summing up of the results of the re-
cent disarmament conference at Wash
ington and at its close said
at is obvious that the rseults Of the
Washington conference twill operate
more 10 the benefit of Great Britain"
than to any other nation.
THAT is British history repeated.
The British never entered confer
ence in their national existence-wth
one exception-where they did not
emerge with the major part Of the
spoils. The exception was Versailles.
where Lloyd George failed vt Ver-
sailles, Balfour more than made
amends at Washington.
"The United States at last has been
drawn into an alliance. Whether 1t be
for good or evil, only the events Of the
future may determine"
Even the Washington Post, the
mouthpiece of the Republican admin
istration gives the following as what
England got out of the conference:
(1) The British Empire is relieved
of the responsibilities Of the alliance
with Japan.
(2) The British Empire is insured
protection against aggression in the
Pacific and Australian areas.
(3) The abolition Of competition in
naval construction relieves the British
taxpayers of crushing burden.
(4) The open door in China oper-
ates for the benefit of British trad
ers.
(5) The assurance of peace
throughout the Pacific Ocean relieves
Great Britain of anxiety concerning
possible conflicts arising from war
between other countries, to say moth
ing of war directly involving the Brit
ish Empire.
(6) The rules of war, modified by
the proposals of the Washington con-
ference, will work greatly to the ben
eft of the British Empire in case it
becomes beligerent.
(7) The general Improvement Of
international relations resulting from
the Washington conference will oper-
ate more to the benefit Of Great Brit
ian, possibly, than to any other power
because of its manifold interests
throughout the world. Z
Now read the cost to the United
States, as given by the Tennessean--
(and the statement is not Democrat
!. ic lie) and see if Article x Of the YER
sailies treatp could have drawn Uncle
Sam into worse "entangling alli-
ance:"
"Britan is relieved of partial re-
sponsibility Of the Anglo-Japanese al
lance by the substitution of a quad
ruple alliance in which the United
States agrees to assume part Of the
British obligation.
"The British Empire is assured of
protection against aggression in the
Pacific and Australian areas through
the obligation of the United States
with other nations to go to her assis-
tance.
'The British taxpayers are reliev-
ed of some of their naval building
debt, but they will pay for two battle
ships Of the Hood type that the Unit
ed States comedies to them the right
to build.
"The open door in China operates to
the benefit of British traders just as
it has always operated in their favor,
plus the added guarantee that the
United States obligates herself to see
that the door is kept open.
IF Britain is relieved of the anxiety
regarding possible warfare in the Pa
cific, it is because of her understand
ing that the United States obligates
herself to see that the peace is
maintained and that she will go to
war in event of aggression.
Great Britain will benefit by the
modified rules of war when they arc
drafted, because the United States OBJ
lgates herself to see that these rules
are enforced.