The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-10-01

nope IOr peace, ana lLS IIlOS
The American who played the
most important role In those years
was the Secretary Of State who
took hold Of the Kellogg Pact inn
mediately after its negotiation
and tried to make 1t O living,
workable instrument.
Henry l.. Stimson, secretary of
state under President Hoover, is
q gentleman Of wealth, aristocra-
tic lineage and indefatigable driv-
ing power for peace. Almost I'M
aided he staged four-year strug-
gle to rectify the injustlces Of YER
sailles and stave off the forces
which now hurtle the world to-
ward war.
An age was dying - an age
Of international optimism, Of
disarmament drives and goodwill
pilgrimages, the aftermath OF
the war 10 end war. An age was
dying and Henry L. Stlnsons
sensing the impending tragedy,
struggled, almost alone, TO give
It renewed life.
The failures Of that era are linz
portant as landmarks along the
tragic path toward war.
First Test Of Peace
His first struggle came in the
summer Of 1929, just as the dip
lomatic representatives Of the
world gathered In Washington to
commemorate the formal ratifi-
cation Of the Kellogg Pact. China
and Russia were at each others
threats In Manchuria, and Stin-
son Immediately jumped into the
breach to make the new peace
pact more than o mere parchment
reposing in a dust-proof vault.
He called upon the Kellogg sig
natories to mobilize world opinion:
and IL is significant, In retro
spect, to note that the ony ma
lions which declined cooperation
were Japan and Germany, both
later to become the chief violators
Of the pact.
Climax Of the Russo Chinese
controversy came when Stimson
sent the Soviet government O
stern warning to evacuate Chinese
territory, and received In reply
one Of the most scathing diplo-
matte rebukes In recent history.
stlmsOn took his rebuff with
the patience OF q parent In
suited by q punished child. He
sat down and penned q state
ment which represented the
peace policy he intended TO fol-
low--and did follow-a state.
ment which represents the high
water mark OF American CO.
operation In world affairs. II
made OF the Kellogg Pact new
Covenant, replacing the Coven-
ant Of the League Of Nations
which the United States had
rejected.
And Russia, despite It's TRADE,
was impressed with Stimson's
efforts and proceeded to settle her
dispute with China.
HENRY L. STIMsoN HAD
WON HIS FIRST ROUND IN
HIS FIGHT FOR PEACE.
Japan 1nvades Manchuria
The next round also occurred
In Manchuria, which Japan in
vaded In 1881. Again Stimson
held up the banner OF the KEEL
logg Pact and urged its sigma
tories forward. And again inn
portant European nations hesi-
tated, especially those which had
stormed and sneered ut the United
States for deserving the League
OF Nations,
Finally sNimson saw that dip.
lomatic notes and transatlantic
phone calls were getting him no.
where. So, leaving h sick-bed In
the spring OF 1882, he sailed for
Paris, determined TO talk 10 the
statesmen OF Europe face-to-face.
Renting O villa at Geneva, he
called In Ramsay Macdonald,
Chancellor Bruening, Dino Grand,
Andre Tardieu, pointed out that
aggression In that faraway COR
ner Of China was O greater threat
TO peace than the menace OF big
guns In Europe. Unless the mad
rush Of Japanese militarism could
be checked, he declared, the
League, the Kellogg Pact, all the
carefully nurtured peace machine
cry OF the world was doomed.
The premiers Of Europe listened
carefully. They were practical
men. Manchuria was O long way
off. They were more interested
In things near home. What
could they get from Mr.. Stimson
for this faraway cooperation which
he so ardently desired
Andre Tardieu, the most prac-
teal, the most skeptical, the
bluntest Of them all, put the ques-
tion.
"Wlll che United States" he
/, asked, "be willing TO rellnquish
Its traditional policy Of neutral
ity in case Of armed action by