Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-23

strated when Mr.. Dawes, Mr.. Young
ana MIR. Robinson were invited by the
Preparations Commission for that pur-
pose. and consented to serve.
The finding Of the experts, which ID
known as the Dawes Report, has re-
Gently been made and published. II
shows great deal Of research and
investigation. and a broad compre-
hension OF the requirements Of the
/ situation. It has been favorably re-
cetyed by the Preparations Commits
sion. 1t is gratifying to understand
that the Allies are looking upon II
with full sympathy, and Germany
has expressed q willingness to CO.
operate In the execution Of the plan.
| There appears to be every reason to
hope that the report, offers a basis
for a practical solution Of the repara-
tons problem. trust that 1t may
! commend itself to all the European
governments interested as a method
by which. through mutual conces-
sions, they can arrive at a stable adj
justment Of the intricate and vexa-
tious problem OF reparations. and
that such an outcome viii provide
for the restoration OF Germany and
the largest possible payments to the
other countries.
To Whom the Credit
II this result is secured. the credit
which WILDE due to the Secretary OF
State. Mr.. Hughes, to President
Harding for adopting it and support
ing 1t, and to the three Americans
and their assistants, by whose wis
dom and discretion 1t was formu-
lated and rendered 80 acceptable, will
be sufficient to warrant the lasting
appreciation OF two continents. A.
situation at once both intricate and
difficult has been met In a most mas
terful way. Our countrymen are JUS
! tilted in looking at the result with
great pride. Nothing Of more i'm
! portance to Europe has occurred
since the Armistice.
| Part of the plan contemplates that
a considerable loan should at once
be made to Germany for immediate
pressing needs. including the financ-
| ing of bank. I trust that private
American capital will be willing to
] participate in advancing this loan.
| Sound business reasons exist why we
/ should participate in the financing of
works of peace in Europe, though
we have repeatedly asserted that we
were not in favor of advancing funds
for any military purpose. 1t would
| benefit our trade and commerce, and
we especially hope that it will pro-
| vide larger market for our agri-
cultural production. It is notorious
that foreign gold has been Sowing
into our country in great abundance.
1t is altogether probable that some
of it can be used more to our imam
cial advantage in Europe than It can
! be in the United States. Besides this,
there is the humanitarian require
ment, which carries such q strong
appeal, and the knowledge that out Of
our abundance 1t Is our duty to help
where help will be used for meeting
just requirements and the promotion
! OF a peaceful purpose. We have de-
! termined to maintain, and can MAIN
tain, our own political Independence.
but our economic independence will be
strengthened and increased when
| the economic stability Of Europe is
restored.
We hope further that such a con-
dition will be the beginning Of secure
| and enduring peace. Certainly 1t
would remove many of the present
| sources of disagreement and misunder-
standing among the European nations.
| When this adjustment is finally made,
and has had sufficient time Of opera
| tion to become q settled European pol
| icy, it would lay the foundation for a
further effort at disarmament in &C.
cordanoe with the theory of the WASH
ington Conference. Although that
gathering was able to limit capital
| battleships. 1t had to leave the question
of submarines, air craft land land
forces unsolved. The main reason for
this was the unsettled and almost
threatening condition that atill existed
In Europe. A final adjustment for the
| liquidation of reparations ought to be
the beginning of new era Of peace
and good will.
what We May no
In the event that such q condition
| develops, 1t becomes pertinent to ex-
| anime what can be done by our ceun-
| try. in cooperation with others, fur
] Their to rid ourselves and the rest of
| the world OF the menace and burden of
| competitive ornaments and more ef-
| fectively insure the settlement of diff
| fercnces between nations. not by q re-
| course to arms, but by recourse to
| reason; not by action leading to war.
| but by action leading to Justice. Our
past experience should warn us not to
he overconfident in the face Of SO many
| failures. but 1t also justifes the hope
| that something may be done where al
| ready there has been some success, and
at least We can demonstrate that We
| have done all that we can.
AS result of American initiative
there Is already in existence The
| Hague Tribunal which is equipped to
| function wherever arbitration seems
desirable, and based In part on that,
| and In part on the Lea que, there is the
International Court of Justice, which
Is already functioning. A proposal
was sent to the last Senate by Presi-
Ia I'd I'D kn ha
| covenant establishing this court,
| which 1 submitted to the favorable
consideration of the present Senate in
| my annual message. Other plans for
| a World Court. have been preached,
but up to the present time this has
seemed to me the most practical one.
But these proposals for arbitration
| and courts are not put forward by
| those who are we'll informed with the
idea that they could be relied upon as
an adequate means for entirely pre-
| venting war. They are rather q
| method of securing adjustment of
claims and differences, and for the en-
forcement of treaties, when the usual
| channels of diplomatic negotiation fail
to resolve the difficulty.
Proposals have also been made for
the codifieation of international law.
Undoubtedly something might be ac-
complished in this direction, all
| though very large body of such
| law consists in undertaking to es-
tablish rules of warfare and deter
mining the rights of neutrals. One
| of the difficulties to be encountered
would be the necessity OF securing
the consent Of all the nations, but
| no doubt the agreement of the major
powers would go very far in produc.
| ing that result.
What May Be Done for Peace
do not claim to be able to an