The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-08-06


tofficial City. State and County Newspaper
PHASES OF THE PEACE PLANS
The elements OF epoch, OF paradox and Of destiny are
blended in the present status of the diplomatic ncgotia-
tions between the United States and Great Britain for
the curtailment Of naval ornaments as one stride IN
the steps toward the permanent substitution of peace
Ter war.
The cpochal phase lies in the greater purpose behind
what is admittedly but a part of the design to abjurc
martial methods in international quarrels and to sub
stitute peaceful means Of adjustment hereafter. That
constitutes such a tremendous departure from the age
old habit of deciding International fcuds by resort to
arms that it attains the significance of a new civiliza-
ton at the door Of which the world may be standing.
The signing of the Kellogg multilatcral peace pact at
Washington July "a was a twin step in the movement to
free the world of war for the future and lubricate its
international frictions by means of arbitration, inter-
national peace courts and diplomatic negotiation.
There is paradox in the phase which will bring Ramsay
Macdonald. new Labor prime minister of England. over
for conversations with President Hoover on these further
steps in the direction of permanent peace. He is COM
ing at a time when feeling on the other side Of the
ocean is pent-up with envy and antagonisn against the
United States. It is believed that he means to discuss
more than mere naval limitation between the two ma
tions In a start toward extending further limitation to
other nations. as France, Italy and Japan. Europe is
Dn q state Of distenper on the subject Of America. What
The people who Pay its taxes feel was openly expressed
time and again by members of the British cabinet in the
Conservative regime which has but recently given way
to the Labor government headed by Macdonald.
y The bitterness OF the feeling against the United States
was reflected i'll editorial cmmcn and news reports
brought back by DR.. Eric Quain from his trip of last
winter and spring. Henry Taucy echoes the experiences
ct the doctor when he tells of the snccrs on all sides to
which touring Americans are subjected as a result of
the war debt friction. The ratification by France the
ether day OF the Mcllon-Berengcr agreement for pay
ment will not ease the feeling of irritation any more
than the prior ratification on the part Of Great Britain
has been able to ease public resentment there over a
deal which to Europes perfervid misconceptions takes
on the aspects OF a bit of Shylockery.
So Premier Macdonald may be expected to speak of
these matters with President Hoover in a strain Of reas-
sur1ng Cancellation. The policy of the Labor government
seems to be in the direction of greater amity between
the two nations. The influence of such an example of
relations would be very salutary at this time. It would
open the way for the United States to proffer evidence
of ~friendliest feelings toward Europe and would tend to
render impotcnt the propaganda which strives to goad
our overseas cousins into belief that we are rapaciously
selfish In our dealings with the world and that we have
imperial designs against those not as strong and prosper
Gus as this nation has become.
Thus the matter resolves itself also into an element
Of destiny. When Ambassador Dawes and Macdonald
sat down together in Scotland shortly after the arrival
OF Dawes on his London diplomatic post. and started to
discuss the reduction of American and British nayics.
they very likely closed an epoch in world history. They
made the idea Of permanent peace more dominant than
1t ever before had been.
And when Macdonald and President Hoover announced
on the same day recently that they were moving to the
curtallment OF the naval ornaments of their respective
nations, the "yardstick" being the only factor still to be
determined, they gave utterance to more than a naval
limitation announcement. They may have proved that
n IL norfMrflu nccih fN~ raan =. -.>..- -
troll destiny-to shape the civilized currents of their own
times to fit their own wills and influence the great fu-
ture ahead.
It is early, OF course, to say just what the upshot of
the new British American naval negotiations will be.
But II IS fairly safe to assume that some sort Of plan
VIII be devised by which the two fleets will be removed
from the plane Of competition. And that. all things con-
sidered, will be something new in the world.
TO understand the significance Of 1t, you must 20 back
INTO history. Since the time Of Drake and Trobisher. the
British empire has staked its whole national existence
on It's neet. Years before Roosevelt was born, 1t acted on
his famous maxim. Tread softly, but carry q big stick"
In good times and in bad, the empire insisted on MAIN
tanning q navy strong enough to whip any possible COM
bination Of enemies.
The tradition was something no Englisl1man ever oucs-
toned. Sometimes the national treasury was badly
strained toikeep the navy going. Sometimes very oues-
ttonable ~expedients had to be resorted to. as when thu
press-ganss waylaid peaccable citizens and compelled
them to serve on the warships. Sometimes the foreign
policy that grew out OF this tradition was cruel and un-
Just. IS It was during the Napoleonic wars when England
twice forced . war on Denmark.
6ut. through al the years. 1t had one great virtue. It
Nurked. The great British navy. with ~squadrons sail
~ IN III parts Of the world. made possible the mighty
1svelopment Of the British empire.
Nov, after more than three centuries, this tradition Il
befne abandoned The nero fact that . British prime
Manae9 was ri1ng 70 cit down with the ambassador |