The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-02-11

involvement. 1t does not require us
or any power to surrender a worth
while tradition. 1t has been said, if
this be true, these are mere meaning
less treaties. and therefore value1ess.
Let us accept no such doctrine of de-
spair as that. If nations may not
establish by mutual understanding the
rules and principles which are to gov
ern their relationships; if a sovereign
and solemn plight Of faith by leading
nations of the earth is ya1ueless; if
nations may not trust one another,
then indeed there is little on which
to hang our faith in advancing civili-
cation or the furtherance of peace.
Either we must live and aspire and
achieve under a free and common I'M
Outstanding among peoples, with mu-
tual trust, respect and forbearance,
and exercising full sovereignty. or else
brutal, armed force will dominate. and
the sorrows and burdens of war in
this decade will be. turned to the chaos
and hopelessness of the next We can
no more do without international me-
gotiations and agreements in these
modern days that we could maintain
orderly neighborliness at home without
the prescribed rules OF conduct which
are more the guarantees of freedom
than the restraint thereof.
"The world has been hungering for
a better relationship for centuries
since it has attained its larger con-
seriousness. The conception of the
league of nations was a response to
a manifest world hunger.
Whatever its fate, whether it'll
achieves the great things hoped for,
or comes to supersedure or to failure,
the American unwillingness to be a
part of it has been expressed. That
unwillingness has been kept in mind,
and the treaties submitted today have
no semblance or relationship save as
the wish to promote peace has been
the common inspiration.
THE four-power treaty contains no
war commitments. 1t covenants the
respect of each nations rights in rela-
ton to it's insular possessions. In
case Of controversy between the COW
chanting powers it is agreed to confer
and seek adjustment, and if said rights
are threatened by the aggressive ac-
ton of any outside power, these
friendly powers. respecting one an
other, are to communicate, perhaps
confer, in order to understand what
action may be taken, jointly or sepa-
rately to meet a menacing situation.
There is no commitment to armed
force, no alliance, no written or moral
obligation to join in defense, no ex-
pressed or implied commitment to
arrive at any agreement except in ac-
cordance with our constitutional meth
DDS. Tt is easy to believe, however,
that such a conference of the four
powers is a moral warning that an
aggressive nation, giving affont to hte
four great powers ready to focus world
opinion on a given controversy would
be embarking on hazardous enter
prise.
1--WE have seen the eyes of the world
turned TO the Pacific. With Europe
PROSTATE and penitent none feared the
likelihood of early conflict there But
the Pacific had its menaces and they
deeply concerned us. Our territorial
interests are larger there. It's waters
are not strange seas to us, its farther
shores not unknown to our citizens.
"a century ago we began planting
the seeds of American friendship in
Hawaii, and 20 years ago Webster
told the senate that the United States
could never consent TO see these is
lands taken possession of by either OF
the great commercial powers of Eu-
rope. Whether il was destiny or the
development of propinquity, or the in
fuence of our colonists, or faith IN our
institutions, Hawaii came under the
flag in 1898, and rejoices today as a
part of our republic.
1.-THE lure of the waters or the march
Of empire. or the call of commerce or
inscrutable destiny led us on, and we
went to the southe seas and planted
the dag in Samosa. out OF the war
with Spain came our sponsorship IN
the Philippines, and the possession Of
Guam: and so we are deeply con-
cerned in the mid Pacific. the south
seas. and the very center OF the Tar
east We crave peace there as we do
on the continent, and we should be
remiss IN performing a national duty
If we did not covenant the relations
which tend to guarantee 1t.
There has been concern. There
has been apprehension OF territorial
creed, a most fruitful cause OF war
The conference has dissipated both
and your RATIFICATION Of the covenants