The Washington times., 1924-04-22

that 1t achieved an unequaled
success.
= The service which It rendered
TO others was to a considerable
degree one of example. It re-
vealed the ability Of the people to
take charge Of their own affairs.
It demonstrated the soundness
and strength Of self .government
under free institutions, while at
fording a refuge for the opposed
OF other lands. The great influ-
ence which the mere existence Of
American institutions exercised
upon the rest Of the world would
be difficult to overestimate.
At the end Of long period Of
steady accomplishments of this
nature came the war with Spain,
which left our country a world
power with world responsibilities.
1t is not too Iuuch to say that
in meeting and bringing to a suo-
cessful conclusion that conflict
our country performed a world
service.
Participation in World War.
This was followed by a period
OF most remarkable Industrial
development. There were great
consultations Of properties enor.
nous investments Of capital, and
a stupendous increase of produc.
ton, oil accompanied by q growth
OF population reaching many
millions. This was our condition
at the outbreak Of the world war.
For q long time we sought to
avoid this conflict, on the assump-
ton that 1t did not concern US.
On that subject we were lacking
In accurate information. We
found, at last, that white It was
also the grave concern Of others,
1t did concern us intimately and
perilously. We took out part In
the war at length, In the defense
OF free institutions.
We believe, while acknowledging
that we were only one Of the
contributing elements, that our
participation was a decisive fac
tor. The result was a denrpnstra.
ton of the strength Of self.
governing peoples, and q victory
for free institutions. Our action
at this time was distinctly a
world service. America made it's
sacrifice for what 1t believed was
the cause of Righteousness.
The sacrifices made on these
occasions, which resulted in q
benefit to others, resulted like
wise in a benefit to ourselves.
Even the evil effects which al.
ways arise from war and its
aftermath have only tempered,
not obliterated, these results. A
flow OF material resources set in
toward our country, which is still
going on. The general standards
OF living were raised. In the
resulting plenty many Of the old
nardships OF existence were re-
moved. Our country came into q
position where 1t had q greatly
increased opportunity for world
leadership. In moral power It
TOOK a higher rank.
U. 9. Influence On Treaty.
There can be little doubt that
our presence at the treaty table
softened the terms and diminished
the exactions of the victorious
nations. where joint covenants Of
defensive alliance were in part
substituted for the, usual terri.
torial transfers. Our country re.
FUSED to adhere to the covenant
or the League Of Nations with a
decisive rejection which regard
as final. Following this came q
continuing effort to collect rerara.
tons, which the economic chaos
OF Germany after a time caused
to be suspended. This resulted in
the French seizure Of the Ruhr,
with allied conferences, plans and
discussions for renewing payment
or separations under some settled
method OF permanent adjustne emit.
Although indirectly interested
by reason OF our commerce, and
more especially because of the
debts due to us, in having q
European settlement, our Govern
ment felt that the fundamental
questions involved in all these
discussions were the direct DO.
litical concern of Europe. Our
policy relative to the debts due
to us from European countries
was we'll known, and we refused
to submit them to these discus.
s1ons. This never meant that
America was not willing to lend
Its assistance to the solution of
the European problem in any
way that did not involve us IN
their purely political controver.