The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-06
Armament Conference Is Over
TEXT OF
HARDlNG'S.
ADDRESS

| ADDHECC
FolIoVfng is President Hard
ing speech at the closing ses-
sion of the armament conference
today:
Mr.. Chairman and Members Of the
Conference:
Nearly three months ago IL was
my privilege to utter to you sin
cerest words of welcome to the
Capital Of our Republic, to sug-
gest the spirit in which you were
invited, and to intimate the at
mosphere in which you were ask
ed to confer. In a very general
way, perhaps, / ventured TO ex-
press q hope for the things toward
which our aspirations led US.
Today II Is my grea ter privilege,
and even greater pleasure. to come
to make acknowledgment. 1t is
one of the supreme compensations
Of LIFE to contemplated worth
, while accomplishment. .- /.
II can not he other than SEEM
iy for me, as the only chiesN-E gov
ernment so circumsta need as to
be able to address the conference,
to speak congratulationsS and 10
offer the thanks of our nation. our
people: perhaps, ] dare volunteer TO
utter them for the world. Ny own
qualification is beyond my capac-
ity to express.
Predicts Lasting Good.
This conference has wrought
truly great achievement. II Is haZ
ardous sometimes TO speak in su-
perlatives, and will be restrained.
But l will say. with every conf
dence. that the faith plighted here
today, kept in national honor. will
mark the beginning Of a new and
better epoch in human progress.
Stripped to the simplest fact.
what is the spectacle which has
inspired a 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 problems at
hand-have met and have con
ferred on questions of great inn
portance.
One concern. one problem men,
Rcing their peaceful relationship.
one burden threatening a common
peril. In the revealing light of the
public opinion OF the world, with
out surrender Of sovereignty. with
out impaired nationality or af.
fronted national pride, a solution
has been found in unanimity, and
today's adjournment is marked by
rejo. cling in the things accom-
plished. II the world has hungered
for new assurances il may feast at
the banquet which the difference
has spread.
Thinks People Gratified.
l am sure the people OF the
United States are supremely
gratified, and yet there is scant
appreciation how marvelously
you have wrought. When the
days were dragging and agree
ments were delayed, when there
were obstacles within and
hindrances without, few stopped
to realize that here was a confer
ence OF sovereign powers where
only unanimous agreement could
be made the rule. Majorities
could not decide without impirg.
ing national rights. There were
no victors to command, no van
quished to yield. All had volun-
tarily to agree in translating the
conscience OF our civilization 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 indiCt-
ments Of national dishonor have
been drawn, and the world Is ready
to proclaim the odiousness of
perfidy or infamy.
at is not pretended that the
pursuit Of peace and the limita-
tions of armaments are new con-
ceits, or that the conference is a
new conception either in settle
ment OF war or in writing the
conscience of international rela.
tionship. Indeed. 1t is not new
to have met in the realization Of
wars supreme penalties. The
Hague conventions are examples
of the one, the conference of
Vienna, of Berlin. of Versailles,
are outstanding instances of the
other.
Hague Defeat" Cited.
The conventions were defeated
by the antagonism of one strong
power whose indisposition to co.
operate 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
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