Evening star., 1922-02-06
CONFERENCE AT END.
NINE POWERS SIGNING
PACTS TO BAN WAR
SPEECH OF PRESIDENT
IN CLOSING SESSIONS
OF ARMS CONFERENCE

Mr.. Chairman and Members Of tn
Conference:
Nearly three months ago it was
my privilege to utter to you sin
cerest words of welcome to the
Capital Of our republic. to suggest
the spirit in which you were in
vited. and to intimate the atmos-
phere in which you were asked to
confer. In a very general way.
perhaps. / ventured to express a
hope for the things toward which
our aspirations led US.
Today it is my greater privilege,
and an even greater pleasure, to
come to make acknowledgement. it
is one Of the supreme compenSations
of life to contemplate a worth
while accomplishment.
1t cannot be other than seemly
for me. as the only chief Of gov
ernment so circumstanced as to be
speak congratulations, and to Of
fer the thanks of our nation, our
people; perhaps l dare volunteer to
utter them for the world. My own
qualification is beyond my capac-
ity to express.
Truly Great Achievement.
This conference has wrought
truly great achievement. 1t is
hazardous sometimes to speak in
sdperlatives, and ] will be re-
strained. But l will say, with every
confidence. that the faith plighted
here today, kept in national honor.
will mark the beginning of a new
and better epoch in human prog
resS.
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
conferred on questions OF great
import and common concern on
problems menacing their peaceful
relationship. on burdens threatening
a common peril. In the revealing
light of the public opinion of the
world, without surrender of SOW
ereignty, without impaired ma
tionality or affronted national
pride. solution has been found
in unanimity, and today's adjourn
ment is marked by rejoicing IN
the things accomplished. If the
world has hungered for new as
surance it may feast at the ban
auet which the conference has
spread.
Americans Are Gratified.
I am sure the people of the
United States are supremely graft
fed. and yet there is scant ap-
probation how marvefously you
have wrought, When the days
4 we're dra&ESnEs and agreements
were delayed. when there were
obstacles, within and hindrances
s withonf Few stopped TO realize
that here was aconference a of SOW
sidoiiE dkfekment could be made
the rule. Majorifies could not de-
eide without impinging national
rights. There we're no victors to
command, no vanQuished to yield.
All had voluntarily to agree in
translating the. conscience OF our
civilization and give concrete ex-
preston to world opinion.
And YOU have agreed. in spite
of all difficulties. and the agree
meffts are proclaimed to the world.
No new standards of national
honor have been sought, but the
indictments of national dishonor
have been drawn, and the world
is ready to proclaim the odious-
ness of perfidy or infamy.
1t is not pretended that the pur-
: suit of peace and the limitations or
armament are new concerts, or that
the conference is a new concep-
tion either in settlement of war or
in writing the conscience of inter
national relationship. Indeed, it
is not new to have met in the
realization of wars supreme PEN
alties.. The Hague conventions are
examples of the one; the confer
, ence of Vienna, of Reriin. of Yer
sailles are outktapding instances
of the other.
Hague Conventions Lost.
The Hague conventions were de-
feated by the antagonism or one
strong power whose indisposition
to cooperate and sustain led it to
one of the supreme tragedies
which have come to national emil
nence. Vienna and Berlin sought
peace founded on the in1ustlces or
war and sowed the seed of future
conflict. and hatred was armed
where confidence was stified.
tits fair to say that human prog
ress, the grown intimacy OF thteI
national relationship. developed
communication and transportation;
attended by directing world
oninion, have set the stage more
fayorably here. You have met IN
that calm deliberation and that
determined resolution winch nave
made Just peace. in righteous re-
iationship. it's own best guaranty.
1t has been the fortune of this
conference to sit in a day far
enough removed from wars bitter
ness. vet near enough to wars
horrors, to gain the benefit of both
the hatred of war and the yearn-
ing for peace. Too often. hereto
fore, the decades following such
gatherings have been marked by
the difficult undoing of their de-
cisions. But your achievement is
supreme. because no. seed OF con-
fiict has been sown, no reaction In
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