The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-12-26
AMERICA READY
70 MEET WITH
WORLD POWERS
tcontinued from First Page,

ropesn nations have problems
which they must offer to solve "A
! which depend absolutely on the s.
liticaa relations Il France. ca.
many. Belgium. Italy and Gre,,
Britain. The nearest thing IN !.
suggestion Of solution for th.,
phase Of the matter which the
United States had made was con-
tanned in President Hardinr'a Ia,
/ address to congress wherein Il
proposed that the four power uact
idea be applied to other areas of
the world.
The belief for the moment at anv
rate, Is that an economic confer.
ence would be futile unless n i.
proceeded by q conference of nre.
miers or ambassadors empowers
to clear up the political relations
of Europe. Until such an atmo.
sphere prevails the chickering's over
the economic problems would proh.
ably get no further than they have
heretofore.
Z. s. Ready to Enter Meet
The United States would be rlad
to attend conference to Stabilize
the political relations of European
and American nations through an
agreement to limit land armameuts
1t would go somewhat against the
grain to rush headlong into 1 DO.
litfcal conference which would
merely arrange another balance nj
power. But the question Of laid
armament is not merely a European
| matter. Its expanse is indirectly
affecting the prices of American
farm products. II Europes cur
rency were higher in value the pur-
chasing power of the Euro
| pean people would be great.
er and the export trade Of
America would be improved-that
is admitted beyond question in Of
fetal quarters here. If land arm
ament were reduced, European
budgets would be balanced and the
currencies of all nations would cor
respondingly increase in value.
So on the broad ground of 70.
ducing land armament, a confer.
ence ON Atlantic problems-to limit
construction of airplanes and sub.
marines-and at the same time dis.
cuss land armament which wasn't
treated at the Washington parley .
year ago is being discussed by the
powers. America wants such a
conference held in Europe where
European problems can be better
discussed and where American dis
interestedness can come into full
play. 1t is hoped here the confer
ence will be called for London or
Brussels or The Hague, and con-
versely it is hoped the conference
will not be called for either Paris
or Berlin where the atmosphere is
not as productive of reconciliation
as it might be elsewhere.
An American delegation consist
ing of Republicans and Democrats
would probably be selected by Pres
ident Harding. Because of the
combined political economic prob
lens involved, Secretary of State
Hughes, Secretary of the Treasury
Mellon and Secretary Of Commerce
Hoover are being talked of for at
least three of the places on such
a commission. But the idea is
growing that a political confer
ence must either proceed or run
concurrently with an ECONOMIC con-
ference. That is why Senator
Borah's resolution even if passed,
may not be acted upon at once. The
powers have already approved the
idea of some kind of conference
the things to be decided are when
and where such a conference sha..
be called, and what shall be the
scope of its discussions.