Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-12

The United States there proposed a
limitation of cruiser tonnage OF 25OO
to 100000 tons. AS near as we could
figure out their proposal, the British
asked for from 425,0O0 to 100000 tons.
AS it appeared to us that to agree to
so large tonnage constituted not
limitation. but an extension OF war
fleets, no agreement was made.
Since that time no progress seems
to have been made. In fact, the move
ments have been diScouraging. DuS-
ing last Summer France and England
made a tentative offer which would
limit the kind of cruisers and SUBJ
marines adapted to the use OF the
| United States. but left without limit the
kind adapted to their use. The United
States OF course refused to accept this
offer.
Had we not done SO, the French
Army and the English Navy would be
SO near unlimited that the principle OF
limitations would be virtually aban-
doned. The nations have already &C
compliShed much in the way of limi-
tations and we hope may accomplish
more when the preliminary conference
called by the League of Nations is
reconvened.
Meantime, the United States and
other nations have been successfully
engaged in undertaking to establish
additional safeguards and securities to
the peace of the world by another
method. Throughout all history war
mas been occurring until it has come
to be recognized by custom and practice
as having a certain legal standing It
has been regarded as the last resort,
and has too frequently been the first.
Pact Signed in Paris.
When it was proposed that this ira
dltional attitude should be modified
between the United States and France,
we replied that it should be modified
among all nations. AS a result. rep
resentativeS of IS powers have met in
ParlS and signed a treaty which con-
dennis recourse to war, renounceS it
as national policy and pledges them
selves not to seek to resolve their diff
ferences except by peaceful action.
While this leaves the questions of
national defense and limitation of
ornaments practically where they were,
as the negative supports of peace, it
discards all threat of force and APP
proaches the subject on its positive
side. For the first time in the world
the leading powers bind themselves to
adjust disputes without recourse to
extent the duty of self-defense, and
not undertaking, as no human inge-
nuity could undertake. an absolute
guarantee against war. it is the most
complete and will be the most effective
instrument for peace that was ever
devised.
So long as promises can be broken
and treaties can be violated We can
have no positive assurances. yet every
one knows they are additional safe
guards. We can only say that this is
the best that mortal man can do. 1t
is beside the mark to argue that we
should not put faith in it. The whole
scheme of human society, the whole
progress of civilization, requires that we
should have faith in men and in
nations.
Sees Faith Justified.
There is no positive power on which
we could rely All the values that have
ever been created, all the progress that
has been made, declare that our faith
is justified.
For the cause Of peace the United
States is adopting the only practical
principles that have ever been pro-
posed. of preparation, limitation, and
remuneration. The progress that the
world has made in this direction in the
last 10 years SurpaSses all the progress
ever before made.
Recent developments have brought
to us not only a new economic, but
new political relationship to the rest of
the world. We have been constantly
debating what our attitude ought to be
toward the European nations. Much
of our position is already revealed by
the record. 1t can truthfully be char
acterized as one of patience, conSidera-
ton, restraint, and assistance.
We have accepted settlement Of OBJ
legations, not in accordance with what
was due, but in accordance with the
merciful principle of what our debtors
could pay. We. have given of our
counsel when asked, and of our re-
sources for constructive purposes, but
we have carefully refrained from all
intervention which was unsought or
which we believed would be ineffective,
and We have not wished to contribute
to the support of ornaments. What
ever assistance we may have given to
finishing the war, we feel free from