Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-11

ToTTING UP

do not, and naturally could not De
expected to agree in all particulars.
For instance It doesn't make for the
fame OF the celebrated writer, Mr.. H.
q. Wells to agree with the public
generally. Were he to do so that
public would be less interested in
what he had TO say. Now even he,
going home In a manner indicating
disgust with somebody, admits some
good may come OF the Conference. 1t
would require hardihood on the part
OF 80 intelligent a person as Mr..
Wells, to announce any other con-
oiusion.
For one thing. and 1t should not be
overlooked. there never before has
been so emphasized the fact that ma
tional duplcity is no more entitled to
the euphonious term diplomacy"
than Is individual duplicity. The lat
ter Ia contemplate and the world is
waking up TO understand that SO are
iniquities resorted to by representa-
tives OF a government, trickery they
would not think Of employing as in
dlviduals. Manifestly frankness and
truth-telling have been more effective
IN this than in any previous confer
ence
fEa tnh Oh -
tract notice Is that while the experts
favored submarines and poison gas.
public sentiment did not. And while
In time OF stress resort may be had
90 the uses favored by the experts it
IL clearly established that so long as
public sentiment remains fairly we'll
enlightened IL will not approve them.
And we remember what happened to
Germany because 1t disregarded that
sentiment. SO IL we may keep senti-
ment at It's present elevation, and it
should go higher, there will be sem
sible restraint over the horrors Of
warfare. II may be strong enough to
mass the experts in the poison gas
area IL ever their advice is to be fol-
lowed
Another notable feature, perhaps
the most important, is the contribu-
q ton that u being made to establish a
code Of law governing the relations
: OF nations. Mr.. Root has done ad-
mirnble work 20 this end: his propo-
saAs make n NEST hopeful beginning.
To secure an agreement to ysGard the
violation OF the rules governing use of
the submarine as an act OF piracy is
a long step forward. Although the
prevailing sentiment at the Hague
conference in 1907 favored the abo-
lition of submarines In warfare, an
opinion many yet entertain, nothing
came OF IL. Something has come of
u this time. though not as much as
could be wished, as so far 1t has not
been thought practicable to establish
a method for enforcing the laws and
exacting the penalties. All this takes
time but the international feet are set
In the right path and steps forward
have been taken. II is no mean ac-
complishment to have recorded the
agreement Of the dominant nations of
the world that acts such as Germany
performed with impunity are to be
considered and treated as acts of
piracy.
The use OF methods such as poison
gas In warfare have long been abhor-
rent to the individual sense of all
peoples, but acting in concert they
have not been so sensitive. There is
no more reason for using poison gas
than for poisoning the waters and
food. impaling prisoners of war on
stakes or burning out their eyes with
hot irons. Yet it is shocking to find
experts" who argue that such use
Is permissible. Notwithstanding it has
been 80 conclusively demonstrated
that widespread torture is inflicted on
non-combattants by its use. When
Germany adopting the arguments adj
vocated nowadays by the experts
shocked the world she drove them to
respond In kind. but from that hour
she was regarded by the public in the
allied nations as an outlaw. It will
he many years before she RECEIVERS
from the effect Of that sentiment.
The Conference has agreed on limi-
tation OF the big battleship, on
scrapping many of those already con.
structed or In process of construc-
ton. Restrictions have been deter
mined for lesser ships Of war in
Guiding air-plane carriers. the use of |
the submarine for destroying COM |
merce has been outlawed and poison
DAs has been banned. all insofar as
The Conference may do so. Evident
~ all this Is somewhat Of an ac-
0plishment. surely worth totting |
49, even IL We give no heed to the |
Airing which has been given to some
OF the ordorous conditions in the Far
East. II 10 too early to estimate re-
suits Of that work comprehensively. !
indeed. Il 10 not improbable that we