The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-09
ISOLATION HANDICAP
TO PROSPERITY VIEW
EXPRESSED BY BAKER
Continued From Page one)


lishment of such a structure can only
come through mutual confidence and
expressions of good will.
In the establishment of new
credit conditions. the United States
must take a leading part instead of
sitting supineiy back and passively
watching the progress OF events" MIR.
Baker declared. 1t is unreasonable
to expect that nation as powerful
and as rich as the United States may
hope to isolate herself completely
from all of the rest of the world po-
litically when she is so closely bound
commercially. In this respect, of
course. it is necessary that the peo-
pie of the United States change their
attitude regarding international re-
lstions in order that the government
may change its policies"
Will Finally Enter League.
Speaking of the League of Nations.
Mr. Baker stated that he heartily In
dorsed the league as the big hope OF
the world for the abolition OF war.
Il think that eventually the United
States must enter the league. and
eventually she will. There were
multitude of reasons for the defeat OF
the Versailles treaty, among which
was hatred on the part of many
Americans against the personality
of Woodrow Wilson," the former war
secretary remarked. However. the
world is moving inevitably toward
closer union in international rela-
tons. and the League of Nations is
the first step in such movement
AS the initial move for tue entry
Of the United States into the league,
| think that the world court idea as
fostered by President Harding is the
most lokical opening, and ! am
heartily in favor of it, Mr.. Baker
continued. Il make no eEort to JUS
i Jo,, npic .p1 az
attitude Of absolute opposition TO any
meddling in international affairs as
ms proposal for entry into the WorId
compared to his proposal for entry
into the world court, but am pleased
to see him trying to do the rlSht
thing despite political attitudes and
opponents. l also believe that the
majority of right thinking Amer
lean citizens are heartily pe-
hind Harding and his world court
proposal, and l expect to see II
disposed of favorably il the near III
ture. After that l believe affairs VIII
be sufficiently reopened to make the
League of Nations a political issue in
1924, though l am frank to confess
that [ believe both parties Will be IN
favor of the United States joining the
league, in which case there will be no
partisan political opposition over this
issue.
Accords With both Parties.
at is entirely right that the United
States should go into the world
court" Mr.. Baker pointed out. "on
account of the fact that the court is
in complete harmony with all princi-
plies of American freedom and democ-
racy. The world court also is in ac-
cord with the political party plat
forms OF both major political parties.
"However, We must join only on
1
one at all. That is what marks the
difference between the League of Ma
TONS and the world court. The for
mer could prevent controversies be-
tween nations, while the later can
only issue DEGREES regarding contro-
versies."
Regarding the political outlook for
the 1924 presidential election, Mr..
Baker had a hesitancy about eX-
pressing himself to any great extent,
He declared that it was TOO early as
yet to make any representations,
and that idle predictions were worse
than useless. He expressed no opin-
ION as TO who would be the most
likely presidential candidates in
either of the major political parties.
In discussing Conditions in Biz
min CHAM, the former war secretary
expressed the opinion that Birming
| ham was fated to be the great city
! of the south. This is the age of steel
and iron, he said, and Birming am is
undoubtedly the leading city south of
the Mason and Dixon line in the
handling of those two products. lie
pointed out that he had been in Biz
mingham twice before, and that the
city had grown immensely with each
visit, and declared that the prospect
for the city was as bright as that/or
any city in the United States.