Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-07
Thirteen Years Ago.


Thirteen years ago this morning
Uncle Sans children awoke to find
themselves in the World War. We are
still close enough to that portentous
phase of American history to justify
an annual retrospect. Woodrow Wilson
confessed to a thirteen complex,
though he associated luck, rather than
misfortune, with the numeral which
terrorizes the superstitious. The Amer
lean war President, were he still with
US, doubtless would have linked this
thirteenth anniversary of the United
States entry into the fray with the
circumstance that the acrimonious
postwar epoch-eleven years of repa-
rstions controversy-came formally to
an end at almost the same hour.
1t was the final ratification of the
Young plan by the French Parliament
during the current week end that sup
piled the last requisite seal of approval.
BY that act, following close on the
heels of ratificatory action in Ger
many, the war books are closed. 1t has
been we'll said that only now is the
19l4-1S conflict brought to a definite
conclusion by the adoption of a treaty
OF peace. The armistice and the pact
OF Versailles were destined to produce
merely truce. There was no genuine
peace in Europe while reparations re-
NAMED bone of contention not only
between Germany and her late foes, but
among the allied powers themselves.
Perhaps future historians will say that
Germany lost the war, but won the
peace, for the Young plan, now law,
scales down the total separations Ger
many must pay from the enormous
claims presented at Versailles, totaling
100000, 100000, to a little less than
Se,o00,oooo00, payable in flfty-nine
years.
Americas World War memories are
revived on this anniversary amid emo
tons of gratitude for the new peace
victory about. to be won at London. In
a survey of present-hour conditions at
the Naval Conference, Ambassador Hugh
s. Gibson of the American delegation
yesterday broadcast across the Atlantic
a message which should go far toward
dtssipating the pessimism with which
people In this country are inclined to
contemplate proceedings in London.
Referring to the imminent treaty be-
tween Great Britain, the United States
and Japan, Mr.. Gibson said: ct is adj
vantageous to all three powers and con-
stitutes an important contribution to in
ternational friendship and good under
standing. To those of us who have fol-
lowed the efforts for limitation since
the Washington Conference the results
achieved in London so far are beyond
reasonable expectation. We have at
tanned the major detectives for which
the conference was called"
Americas determined abstention
from joining the League of Nations
subjects the United States to the more
or less incessant charge that we are
self1shly isolating ourselves from the
concerns of the world. Today, as Mile
stone No. IS along the tortuous highway
leading away from the World War is
set up. it is satisfaction to the
American Government and people to
feel that, foreign gibes to the contrary
Notwithstanding, we are pulling a
mighty weight in the international
boat. It is a boat which is being
steered steadily, though slowly, in the
direction of world peace. The craft
has come through tempestuous waters
at London during the past three months.
But it is distinctly farther on its way
Our World War anniversary thoughts
are tinged with high hope for the
future as We contemplate with justifable
pride our own part in promoting that
progress.
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