New-York tribune., 1922-09-28
Butler w ants
ConferenceHere
Of Big Powers
President of Columbia Uni
versity Suggests Economic
Gathering at Opening of
I6oth Academic Year
Sees World Going Mad
NationaIism Throwing Up
New Bars to Progress De-
spite Navy Limitation

After painting a picture Of world
in chaos because of nationalism gone
mad, DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler, pres
ident of Columbia University, sug-
gested yesterday the converting of q
world economic conference at Wash
ington as the key to the door Of inter
national progress. President Butler,
who addressed the new and old stu
dents Of Columbia at the beginning of
the 169th academic year, said the world
was suffering from too much politics
and too little craftsmanship.
The opening exercises. held in the
gymnasium at o'clock, following the
traditional march of the faculty and
trustees from the library, began with
the academic address by DR.. Franklin
K. Giddings, professor Of sociology and
the history Of civilization. He spoke
on "The Divine Right Of Human Abil-
ity." DR.. Butler in his address said:
"The Washington Conference on the
Limitation of Armament was true
rainbow Of promise after the great
storm, and the President whose
thought and plan it was deserves full
measure of credit for its accomplish
ment.
Nevertheless, when the world sorely
needs every hand to take part in it's
broken and shattered production, more
men are now bearing arms in the world
than in 1913. While the building of
capital ships of war has been stopped,
the planning of smaller but yet more
devilish instrumentalities Of destruc-
tion goes steadily on.
Murder Replaces Argument
'That same fanatical form of no
tionalism which under Prussian leader
ship drove Germany to its doom has in
{. greater or less degree seized upon al
most every people, and at the very
hour when each is so entirely depend
ent upon the rest, each exaggerates its
differences with others and fevershly
throws up barriers against economic
, and social contacts and exchanges. IL
the world had gore mad after the ar
mistice 1t would have behaved very
much as it is behaving now.
"Murder has been raised from the
plane Of atrocity to that of argument.
1t is the favorite form of response,
whether in Germany. in England, in
Ireland or in the United States, to
any policy or conduct which the muir
| derer may not approve.
-Four years after the armistice Rus
STA is in the throes of economic and
social dissolution; Austria is in a state
empty as it urges forward it's
| national task Of reconstruction: many
of the newer. and in some cases arti-
fetal nations. brought into being by
the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
are hopelessly houndering; in England
unemployment and economic depres-
sion are still very great, while in the
| United Sttaes no one can tell Wheth er
the goods being produced and the
products being raised in such colossal
quantities can find a profitable market
"Unless l greatly mistake, the world
I is suffering from too much politics and
too little craftsmanship. There are
too many holders of public office who
are far more anxious about their con-
| tinuance in place than concerned for
the public welfare. If present condi
| tions are permitted indefinitely to con-
! tinue no one dare foretell what will
! happen to our boasted civilization and
/ its economic basis.
"The problem is too huge to be at
| tackled in it's entirety. 1t must be
taken in practical fashion, bit by bit
and q start made toward it's judicious
solutloh. Inc responsibility OF the
| United States is enormous. Economic
| conditions are such that the United
States, and perhaps the United States
alone, can lead the way out of the
present slough of despond and pre-.
vent our people being eventually drawn
| into it.
"The Washington Conference on the
Limitation Of Armament was Success.
full because of the terms Of the in.
vitation, OF the restricted number OF
participants, Of the place where it was
held, and of the definite and precise