The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-26
.qRRECONCILABLEsD ATT ODDS

The break between Senator Borah and Senator Hiram Johnson over the proposal of Senator Borah for an economic and dis armament conference to be called by Presi- dent Harding, puts two prominent "irreeon- cilables" in opposing camps. The Idaho senator seems to realize that Europe will make no progress toward stabilization with out Americas help, while Senator Johnson still clings to the policy of isolation. Other "irreconcilables" are reported to look with disfavor on the Borah plan, but strong indication of a new trend of though is the attitude of Borah, one of the ablest and most intelligent members of the swilful group which wrecked the treaty of Yer sailles and kept America out of the League of Nations. Formerly Borah and Johnson held the same views on many foreign and domestic questions, and the fact that they have come to the parting of the ways, after having been such firm allies, shows that the advocates of isolation are losing ground and will no longer present united front against American participation in foreign affairs.
 Senator Johnson declares that the Borahl proposal would dump into America's lap the economic ills of Europe and the reparations mudde" and 1t would mean abandonment of "the traditional policy of America" As for dumping into Americas lap the economic evils of Europe and the reparations proo- lem, the United States is vitally concerned with the settlement of these questions and it's own economic future is inseparabiy bound up with that of Europe. Without our cooperation there is little probability of a solution being reached that will reopen world markets to American trade and put Europe on her feet Our foreign relations have become an acute domestic problem, involving the future welfare and prosperity of the United States. The obvious answer to Senator Johnson's assertion that the Bo- rah plan would be an abandonment of our traditional policy, is that this policy was abandoned when we entered the World war. Having taken part in that war, we cannot hope to evade it's consequences or shirk the responsibilities it imposed on us as an asso- ciate of the allies. By holding aloof we have helped to create the European situa- tion.
 Senator Johnson says, "Were we to invite the interested nations to discuss these sub jects in order to arrive at understandings and agreements with mental reservation not to take part in the ultimate solution, we would be guilty of a species of bad faith of which America has never been guilty and which Americans never can tolerate" But why should there be any mental reserva- tions or any breach of confidence? The role America would play in such a confer ence would be that of friendly counselor and arbitrator of disputes. The California senator looks at the matter through the eyes of confirmed isolatonist. He fears that we might ''become part of the European scheme of things and enter upon that course from which we have so recently escaped and which our people so overwhelmingly repudiated" It is not sure that the policy of Woodrow Wilson was Overwhelmingly repudiated" in 1920. The republican cam paign pledge for an association of nations and closer cooperation with Europe won many thousands of votes from League of Nations supporters. The administration is, therefore, already committed to participa- tion in the affairs of Europe.