The Washington times., 1922-03-28

i spoke or Australia as CONT
mental commonwealth" I withdraw
the phrase. Australia held out 'or
being a continent, more or less
until December 10. 1921. Then IN =
four-power treaty was reported to
the Washington conference and Aus
tralia became under the treaty an
island.
Japan used to be group 80
islands. Then President Harding
four power treaty and japan be.
came mainland.
Visconti Nenosta. who was here
with the Italian delega ton during
the Washington Conference, said:
Il used to hate geography when
1t was a matter OF science. / rather
like il now since il has become q
matter of taste"
In any case the Australian march.
ing song is no song for the four
power treaty. Oscar Underwood
says In the Senate that under thc
four-power treaty II the Russians
attack the japanese they will find
themselves In difficulties with the
United States and the British EN-.
pire. The Australians who march
with the Japanese against the Rus
slams will have to he carefully in
structed not to shoot the way they
sing
The very best story applicable to
the four-power treaty. however, is
one told by Willmott Lewis. the
Washington correspondent OF the
London Times. He does not apply
IL to the 'four-power treaty but l do.
Lewis. being British. or although
British, knows more good stories
than any other occupant of the Press
Gallery.
I had heard the State Depart
ment say that the Anglo-Japanese
Alliance was a most serious thing
for the United States and I had
heard Senator Lodge in the Senate
say that the four-power treaty was
really nothing at all but a promise
to do some talking and I had medi-
tated on the ease with which our
statesmen were able TO get rid of
menace by hurting a goose.eGg a.
It. when Willmott Lewis happened
to tell me the story OF the railway
used to have mongoos in India
and 1t killed many snakes for me.
In the story a traveller gets into a
railway carriage in England and lie
carried with him a little box. 1t was
a very little box which he carried ~
one hand.
A fellow traveller presently said 10
him:
II hope you won't think Tn too
inquisitive but would you mind tell.
ing me what you have in that box?"
Its a sad business" said the
first traveller. There's a friend Of
mine lives down along this railway
and he has delirium tremens and he
sees snakes all the time. He sees
them day and night. He can't stop
seeing them. So I'm taking him
mongoos."
The second traveller relapsed into
silence. He thought. Then he said:
But just moment! Really, 1
don't quite understand. These
snakes that your friend sees, they're
not real snakes, you know"
All said the first traveller.
True! But I've got that point in
mind. This mongoos that I'm TAX.
ing him is not real mongoos."
If Mr.. Hughes Is right about the
poisonousness of the Anglo-Japanese
alliance, and IL Mr.. Lodge is right
about the innocuousness of the
four-power treaty, its proper name
in history is the Snake and Mongoos
treaty.
Walter Fisher, of Chicago, former
Secretary OF the Treasury, attorney
here for the association OF the Own.
e.'s of Railway Securities, gave the
Interstate Commerce Commission
sUme news the other day about Cras.
sus CrassLs used to be a great
friend Of julius Caesars. In fact, lie
financed julius Caesars politics. He
was Julius chief campaign contribu.
tor. He was the richest man In
Pome. Just what he had to do with
American railways was not clear till
Walter Fisher was discussing Gov
eminent ownership of railways be.
fore the Interstate Commerce Com.
mission and told the commission Just
now II was that Crassus became the
richest man In Rome.
Rome, we learn. had no public
fire department. So Crassus got up
private fire department. 1t con.
sisted Of slaves OF his whom he
trained to put out fires When a
Parma p'a hnusa uas hurpinn ~.