The New York herald., 1922-02-07

mR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE
CONFERENCE:
Nearly three months ago It was
my privilege to utter to you SINGER
est words of welcome to the capital of
our republic, 10 suggest the spirit in
which you were invited and to initiate
the atmosphere In which you
were asked to confer. In very gen.
eral way perhaps I ventured to ex-
press hope for the things toward
which our aspirations led us.
To-day 1t Is my greater privilege
and an even greater pleasure to come
to make Acknowledgement.
1t is one of the supreme compensa-
tions of life TO contemplate worth
while accomplishment
1t cannot be other than seemly for
me, as the only chief Of government
so circumstanmed as to be able to ad-
dress the conference, to speak con-
gratulations and to offer the thanks
of our nation, our people. Perhaps
j dare volunteer to utter them for
the world My own qualification Is
beyond my capacity to express.
This conference has wrought a truly
great achievement. 1t Is hazardous
sometimes to speak in superlatives
and I will be restrained. but / will
say, with every confidence, that the
faith plighted here to-day. kept in
national honor, will mark the begin
ming of a new and better epoch in
human progress.
Stripped to the simplest fact, what
is the spectacle which has inspired
new hope for the world? Gathered
about this table nine great nations of
the earth--not all, to be sure, but those
most directly concerned with the prob
lens at hand---have met and have con-
ferred on questions OF great import
ance and common concern, on prob
lens menacing their peaceful relation
ship. on burdens threatening a com
mon peril. In the revealing light of
the public opinion of the world, with
out surrender of sovereignty, without
impaired nationality or affronted ma
tional pride, solution has been found
in amity and to-day's adjournment
is marked by rejoicing In the things
accomplished.
If the world has hungered fer new
assurances it may feast at The BAN
quet which the conference has spread.
/ am sure the people OF the United
States are supremely gratifed, and
yet there is seant appreciation how
marvelously you have wrought. When
the days were dragging and agree
ments were delayed. when there were
obstacles within and hindranccs with
out, few stopped to realize tliat here
was conference of sovereign powers
where only unanimous agreement
could be made the rule. Majorities
could not decide without impinging
national rights. There were TO VIC
tors to command. no vanquished to
yield. All had voluntarily to { lee In
translating the conscience of cur CIV
ilization and give concrete expression
to world opinion.
And you have agreed in spite OF
all difficulties, and the agreements
are proclaimed to the world. No new
standards of national honor have been
sought, but the indictments of ma
tional dishonor have been drawn, and
the world Is ready to proclaim the
odousness of perfidy or infamy.
1t is not pretended that the pur-
suit of peace and the limitations OF
armament are new conceits, or that
the conference is a new conception
either in settlement of war or In
writing the conscience of interna-
tional relationship. Indeed, 1t is not
new to have met in the realization OF
wars supreme penalties.
The Hague conventions are exam
Piles of the one, the conferences OF
Vienna, of Berlin, of Versailles are
outstanding instances of the other.
The Hague conventions were defeated
by the antagonism of one strong Power
whose indisposition to cooperate and
sustain led IL to one of the supreme
tragedies which have come to national
eminence. Vienna and Berlin sought
peace founded on the injustices Of war
and sowed the seeds of future conflict,
and hatred was armed where conf
dence was stifed.
t. fcs, t.o& l,,,v,.
ress, the growing intimacy of inter-
national relationship, developed COM
munication and transportation, at
tended by a directing world opinion,
have set the stage more favoraDly
here. You have met in that calm de-
liberation and that determined RESP
luton which have made just peace
in righteous relationship its own best
guaranty.
1t has been the fortune of this con-
ference to sit in a day far enough re-
moved from wars bitterness, yet near
enough to wars horrors. to gain the
benefit Of both the hatred of war and
the yearning for peace. Too often,
heretofore, the decades following such
gatherings have been marked by the
difficult undoing of their decisions.
But your achievement Is supreme be-
cause no seed of conflict has been
sown; no reaction in regret or resent
ment ever can Justify resort to arms.
1t little matters what we appraise
as the outstanding accomplishments.
Any one OF them alone would have
justified the conference. But the whole
achievement has so cleared the atmos-
phere that 1t will seem like breathing
the refreshing air of new morn OF
promise.