The New York herald., 1922-04-24

Ihat Is the question which the wor
Through the ages progress has come
of man with man, and as in modern
learned to cooperate the rate OF prog
Is the progress of many centuri'
and nations arise to still higher
yet more closely in order to overcome
them?
That is the question which the G.
the nature of it's reply depends the
proportion of the human race. No II
its decisions, whether these decisionsS
be wise or foolish, whether they be
effective or ineffective, whether they
will help to overcome the danger or
tend to accentuate it.
The course OF the conference re-
veals clearly that some of the dele
gates when they came to Genoa
neither appreciated the greatness of
the danger nor the need for every
nation to cooperate in order to over
come it. The disastrous consequences
which would inevitably ensue from
a breakdown OF the conference, it
may be hoped now, will induce these
delegates to give 1t that strenuous
support which interests Of their own
as well as all other nations so urgent
ly demand.
statcscraft Has Jagged.
In considering the attitude of the
statesmen 1t must not. be overlooked
that in the march of civilization state
craft has Jagged behind. 1t is ex-
tremely difficult for q statesman 10
realize that the world to-day differs
fundamentally from that which existed
before modern science bound the ma
tions together SO firmly and so com
pletely in one economic family. The
ignorance of the average statesman OF
modern conditions is one of the chief
causes Of the existing danger.
Had the statesmen understood the
controlling conditions OF to-day there
probably would have been no war and
II there had been war its settlement
would have been in accordance with
actual conditions instead of assumed
world conditions.
Already the conference has had bene-
fetal results in this respect. States
men at present are being rapidly edu-
Gated in the actualities Of the condi-
tions of to-day, and are realizing more
and more clearly the need OF common
action to overcome common danger.
This education Is going on both inside
and outside of tho conference. and
should cause the statesmen to devise
or assent TO measures essential 10 re-
covery. if not during the life OF the
present conference, then at some future
conference.
That the peoples were as ignorant as
the statesmen of the worlds conditions
and of the intcrdcpendcncc Of nations
In the age of steam, electricity, and in
ternational trade Is also evident. Had
they not been as ignorant OF general
conditions as the statesmen they would
never have allowed them to force the
nations into the suicidal policy which
brought about tho war and which
afterward brought about the present
situation.
Peoples Getting Wiser.
The peoples. however. arc now being
educated more rapidly than the states
men in the stern school of circum-
stance and already are prepared IN
many countries to adopt whatever pol
icy and take whatever measures are
essential for recovery The hope that
tho world will ultimately emerge from
tho present danger lies. indeed in the
bitter experience which the peoples are
now buying at great cost and which
already IS causing them to insist that
their statesmen shall apply the neccs-
sary remedies.
IL is true that in certain countries
the statesmen stIll refuse to recognize
tho facts OF the situation and arc
endeavoring 10 prevent these facts
from reaching the people, but the
ultimate effect OF this action is not
In doubt. Economic law Will prevail.
Its force. coupled with the light which
the conference is spreading-imper-
feet though IL be--must soon cause
the peoples even of these countries to
understand and TO insist that they be
preserved from the danger into which,
their own aud their statcsmcn's ignor-
ancc has brought them. The ultimate
effect OF education in world affairs
which the peoples OF all nations arc
now gaining through experience and
through conference must also be
highly beneficial for tho future.
Clearly they win not leave intcrna-
tional policy IN the hands of the few
as in the past. but will realize that
their safety and well being depend
not only on attending to their own
private interests or even their merely
national affairs. but upon promoting
the welfare of all nations. The
greater the interest of the public IN
world affairs the closer will bo the
( Continued on Page Two.