Evening Star Newspaper, August 27, 1922, Page 25

NATIONAL EDITORIAL PAGE ‘SPECIAL ARTICLES PROBLEMS EDI ¢ Sundiy Sl WASHINGTON, D. (., SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 27, 1922. Congress Has Become Almost A Body in Continuous Session BY WILL P. KENNEDY. RESENT discussion regarding plans for adjournment of Con- gress emphasizes the fact that of-recent years senators and representatives are getting to be vear-round residents of Washington, remaining almost - <ontinuously in session, Instead of rushing bills through in a few months and then scattering to their homes. As a mat- ter of fact since President Taft called Congress into extraordinary session in 1909 to consider the Cana- dian reciprocity bill up to the 31st of this month, Congress will have becn in session 3,549 days out of a possible 5,000 days. This is in strong contrast to some earlier sessions. “When will Congress adjourn?” is the question on every tongue on Capitol hill, and the answer no man can yet give, even the administration teaders. There is some talk that Congress will get away in about a week—but there the wish is father to the thought. That would be an open admission on the part of the wdministration that the tariff bill is shelved. While it is true that there is a very strong sentiment in favor i indefinitely postponing final action on the tariff, the party in power will admit this. Short Recess Probable. Congress may adjourn about Octo- 1. some of those who pretend b to have some inside information will tell you. The best “dope” at present is that Congress will take a recess shortly until after the elections, then coming back and using the short time before the short session which opens on December 4, to get some of the legislative matters disposed of hefore tackling the appropriation b . The short session—December 4 to March 4, exactly three months—must Le given over almost exclusively to the appropriation bills which must be passed before the new Congress comes in. The failure of any appro- riation bill to pass would necessitate an extra session, when if they once come back and take off the lid, and open the door to other matters, there is no telling when the members can again get away from Washington. here are those who argue that it would be a big rellef for the country enerally and for members of Con- ss themselves if Congress were not + almost continuously in session, grant- ing an interregnum during which the congressmen could get in closer touch with their constituents, allowing the lawyers to really find out what the laws are, and glving the people a chance to work out theif Bwn salvation naturally, | rather than artificially by depending upon legisiative specifics and panaceas. But the fact remains that the present system of organising the Congress and the rules of practice are largely re’ sponsible for the lengthened sessions. So that antil some important changes | are made we are likely to have Con- gress with us for the best part of each tummer, from naw on. Under the Old System. During the “long session” on three different occasions the House adjourned early, having completed its program. For instance, it adjourned as early as April 28, 1904; again, it adjourned on June 30, 1906, and a third time on June 1910, At the commencement of the session it was the practice to prepare a pro- gram, and by the process of party caucuses to determine what the majority party wanted to do, to fix its polices POWERS IN A OVER PERISHING AUSTRIA| Real Contest Arises France in General Stricken Nation. BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN. S I sat with Admiral Cagnl, the doughty Itallan naval war- rior, while his luncheon guest aboard the yacht of former Lmperor Francis Joseph of Austria, in the harbor of Pola, it was but nat- ural that surroundings should stir conversation of the vanquished dual monarchy and its future. Cryptic but prophetic was the admiral's expres- 1 of the former enemy's fate. has vanquished a terrible but Italy no more will be menaced, at least for not a century. Austria will collapse. She will be miserable. There are too many con- flicting Interests for her to withstand ersity and defeat. Austria will be- | come a pawn for the nations. Who knows? She may die. Is it not-so?" And the doughty little Italian, who was so successful fn solving enemy naval plans, sank into meditative si- lence, as if foreseeing chaos for the hereditary enemy. and then go ahead and execute them. Consequently, they were able to dls- patch business and quit. But with the advent of the Sixty-sec- ond Congress the committes on com- mittees system was first put Into opera- tion, and the responsibility, previously vested in the Speaker, was scrambled. The most direct result was that there was no particular check on committee activities. The lid was off and pro- posed legislation, whether desirable or not, whether agreeable to the party policy or fitting in with the administra- tion program or not, was given a hear- ing and whibped along. This led to wider-spread activities on the part of the House itself, and pro- longed its sessions. Coincidentally with this the seventeenth amendment to the Constitution began to operate, whereby senators were elected by direct vote of the people. This liberalized procedure in the Senate and its committees, where there was even greater latitude for un- limited discussion. These two reforms together tended to lengthen the session of Congress. World War Legislation. Shortly afterward the world war made necessary a great deal of legi~ lation, both in a preliminary way and after this country entered the war. This war legislation necessarily took up a great deal of time, and, in fact, nearly the entire time of the Sixty- fAfth Congress was devoted to war measures. Following the armistice came the league of nations treaty, which was considered to the exclu- sion of ordinary business in the Sen- ate for months, while the House was engaged in the consideration of measures dealing with the aftermath of the world war—readjustment, re- habilitation, settlements—and one emergency after another arose to keep. Congress in session. Beginning with the Sixty-first Con- gress, which was the last Congress under Speaker Cannon’s incumbency. when his power to appoint commit tees was taken away, there was an extra session at which the Payne- Aldrich tariff law was considered and passed. Congress then adjourned on August 5, 1909, having been in session since March 15, considering the tarift bill exclusively. Then in the Sixty-second Congress, in which the House was overwhelm- ingly democratic, President Taft called an extra session, which met on April 4, 1911, and afjourded August 23, during which the Canadian reci- procity bill was passed and a number of do-called “popgtin” tariff bills—all of which were vetoed by President Taft or held up in the republican Senate. Ran Into Regular Session. Theén, again, in the Sixty-third Con- gress there was an extra session, convened April 7. 1913, which did not adjourn until December 1, running into the regular session, during which the Underwooq tariff bill and the cur- rency law were passed. For the first time in years there was no extra session in the Sixty-| fourth Congress, the former usual re- cess being taken from March 4 until liest adjournment of any long session was June 5, 1920. The other sessions adjourned on November 21, 1918; No- vember 19, 1919, and November 28, 1921. So it will be seen that in the elder days, befors Cannonism (so-called) Wwas un-diased, a comparatively terse and sharply defined administration or party program was driven through. Now we have every thing paramount, every thing an emergency. Every time Congress gets ready to go horre to see what the people think, and to Bive everybody a chance to get ad- Justed—along comes a new flurry over something and.Congress is held here. Now, regarding the present sftua- tion, members are pretty well agreed that a recess until after the cam- paign is the best course. They are afraid to let-several important pleces of legislation, such as the tarift and soldlers’ bonus, etc, hang over with the threat of being injected into the short session, which must be held safe for appropriation bills. In'the old days there was a very nice way to check such intrusions. ‘When “Tom” Reed was Bpeaker he would not appoint the committees, except the appropriation committee and the committee on accounts and 8uch housekeeping committees. In that way he kept the membership from scattering’ their minds on gen- eral measures In their respective com- mittees, and concentrated them on the specific business that had to be put through. “ASIS By William Note.—In_publishing this arti- cle by the brilllant editor of the Emporia Gazette, The Star does not necessarily indorse the views he expresses. But Mr. White brings to the discussion of cur- rent events a fertile mind and an entertaining style, and a discrim- inating public will place its own valuation upon the opinions he advances, n OLITICS is supposed to be & dull and dirty game, a scram- ble for place and power. So it 1s 1f one vlews it only from month. But considered from decade eration, the dull and djrty game be- pears as a current in human affairs. day to day and from month to to decade, from generation to gen- gins to assume a large form. It ap- Upon the waves movements ride and ideas translate themselves signifi- cantly. Tides are visible. Cross currents bite into the flood and then slowly turn the tide to a new direc- tion. It seems curiously mad—the whole rush and crash and twisting torrent even when it looms with the passing of generations. Yet it is translatable into fairly simple terms. Politics seen in the large is the tur- moll between ldeas so great that men in the mass may not state them simply; so large that men wrestle only over the surface outcroppings of the deeply buried hulks of truth that move in the under conscious- ness of mankind. For thirty years—possibly for fifty —the pelitics of the world has been moved by a theory of biologists, who hold that environment was more im- 'TORIAL SECTION EE IT.” ‘Allen White. portant than heredity in determining the character of a living creature. So, all over the world political parties have been organized to affect the en- vironment of humanity. The liberal in England, the continental socialist, the American progressives, the whole kit and boodle of uplifters, reformers, corn dancers and idealists have been bent on redistributing the gross in- come of mankind so that the average man could live in better houses than ever before, eat more white bread and meat, wear better clothes, read more books, work shorter hours, ride in grander carriages, both public and private, and generally kick up more dust as he passed through his worldly pllgrimage than the average man ever had produced in the world be- fore. Universal education came to the world. Parties rose and fell. Poli- ticians lled l1ke Ananias. Demagogues appeared, promised the voters the moon with plum jam on it, and sold out, or faded out or really chipped off here and there a chunk of the moon. And all because pale, cloistered scien- tists, fifty or seventy-five years ago, decided that environment was impor- tant in the human equation. Now the theory of environment'is giv- ing way to the theory that heredity is the governing cause in man’s welfare and happiness. In the Century Maga- zine a debate is going on between Al- bert Wiggam, a biologist, and Bernard Shaw upon the relative importance of heredity and environment. Books are cascading out of the presses upholding the theory of heredity. Soon the con- (Continued on Third Page.) L Society News Il Present Status of -the Treaties Negotiated at Arms Conference BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. INE months and a little more have passed since Secretary Hughes, speaking for the United States government at 7 the opening of the Washingtom con- ference on limitation of armament and the problgms of the Pacific, pro- posed & program of naval limitation that astounded by its frankness the diplomats of the world and gave jope to tax-burdened peoples. For three months the representa- tives of nine powers labored here, and out of their labors came thres major treaties and a number of other agree- ments of much importance. The first of these treatles is the flve-power naval lmitation treaty, signel by the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan. The second is the four-power Pacific treaty, sign- ed by the United States, Great Britain, France and Japan; and the third is the nine-power far east treaty, guaranteeing the integrity of China, signed by the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Bel- gium, Portugal, the Netherlands and China. And, of tremendous impor- tance to peace In the far east, there was negotiated here at the same time the so-called Shantung treatey be- tween Japan and China, under which provision was made for the return by Japan of the former German holdings in the province of Shantung to China. The Situation Today. What is the situation today with regard to these treaties and agree- ments? What has been the effect of Presents Canadian View of War Debts - 'Owed by Europe to the United States BY T. B. MACAULAY, rance Com- To the Editor-of the Star: In view of the renewed interest in the allied debts, a presentation of the Canadian point of view may be per- mitted. 1 suggest that we approach the question with a judicial mind, elim- inating sentiment, and applying to the tacts those principles which would gov- ern an American court in a similar case between individuals. The allles and Canadians consider that they have. fought for all mations that did not desire a kaiser-ruled world, and that the United States, therefore, had a stake in the war even from its commencement. Had Germany won she would have had control of all Europe, all Aftrica and most of Asia. She would probably have made an alliance with the rest of Asia. Her eyes were already fixed covetously on South America, and with the vast resources them at her for the Monroe doctrine? The United States would have had to face the rest of the world alone. I do not press this sistance which the United States could render from the moment of her entry. American manufacturers were already turning out artillery and munitions on a large scale. The government furnished these indirectly. Their claim now rests on the fact that they supplied the cost of thesmaterials in- stead of the materials themselves. Is the difference very great? Dollars vs. Lives.™ Had the American armies been then in France these munitions could have been used by them. Because they were not yet there, and these shells were fired by allied troops against the common ‘enemy, be paid for by French and British tax- | payers? Should not Americans rather rejoice that by these" supplies they were able to take an effective part in the struggle? The services of the men placed by the allies in the fighting line were given to the common cause. The lives | disposal, what would she have cared | crificed during that year were given, for alas they cannot be restored. Should the contribution of the United States be on a different basis, 4 mere December 6. This was the only ex-|point, however, for I do not suggest loan to be repaid? Are dollars more tended recess In fourtecn years. Then in the Sixty-fifth Congress, President Wilson called Congress | into session. convening on April 1917, because of the impending wal menace. Congress declared war on April 6. This session extended until| October 6, since which time the ear- STRUGGLE Between Italy and Plan of Succoring { hand. and no statesman of Europe dare today predict the future of the one-time Hapsburg realm. But of the many contingencies that may arise in the present grave hour, four have the chance of offering needed ald and saving the people of Austria, even should the political integrity of the realm be reduced to almost zero. First of all is the possibility that Chancellor Seipel may arrange some political and economic agreement with Rome or with Czechoslovakia, or both. It also is possible that in return for assistance from the powers of the little entente that France will bring pressure to bear which would place Austria within the entente itself and make it susceptible to dictation from Csechoslovakia, Rumania, Jugoslavia y and Poland. Austria, on the other hand, may be divided into realms of influence be- tween various countries, and the peo- ples and industries be assisted ac- {that the United States owes anything ! valuable than 1 years of the war. T she herself declared for the early begin with the day war, April 6, 1917. Not Clone to Fire. Even if the United States had an in- terest from the beginning, it does not follow that she should have acted at once. Her people needed time to un- derstand the issue. Her distance must also be remembered. If a fire hreaks out in a city block, the Interest of the neighbors is In proportion to their dis- tance. The houses immediately adjoin- ing are in greater danger than those a few doors removed. In this case the conflagration began in central FEurope, but at once spread to the adjoining houses, France and Russia. Between | them and the United States there were other houses, Britain and the British domipions. In the absence of a league of nations ‘to act as general fire brigade, each na- tion had to decide for itself whether it} should join the firefighters, and, if so, when. Being furthest removed, the United States was naturally later in co- operating. By the time she did come ir the flames were raging in all the ad- joining houses, and some had already collapsed. There was danger thatthey might make a clean sweep. Whether she could have intervened earlier is hardly for outsiders to say. We may, however, ask, what would have hap- pened if she had intervened at the time of the Lusitania ‘icident? The war would have been shortened by two years, millions of lives and tens of billion: of dollars would have been saved. the condition of the world would not be what it Is, and these debts would not exist. This, however, is of sentimental interest only. We must begin with her declaration of war. How the Debts Arose. How did these debts arise? Ior a year after the entry of the United States the tension was at its height. Each nation had to utilize to the ut- Austria today has reached the chaos | cording to the ability of the aiding | MOSt every resource it possessed. The thut & conqueror predicted. Harvest of Misery and Poverty. | Poverty, misery and soul-crushing |’ economic and financial conditions are reaping a full harvest in the once sreat empire. which ended the world war frantic nations. 5 Finanelal Ald Possible, With proper financial guarantees given by the smaller powers as the direct result of concessions on The nomic and industrial cencessions, the United States required timé to raise, equip, train and transport her armies. During that terrible year the allies had to hold the‘enemy back with lit- tle assistance from her in ma#-power. Since the armistice |Part of Austria and in return for eco- | France, the British empire and Italy kept 6,500,000 men in the fleld, and of nppeals hav . gone forth from Vienna larger powers of Europe may come these 1,000,000 were killed. The allies 10 entente capitals and allied confer- | to the financial assistance of Austria | could supply men, but were already i ces to rave the situation. Entente; . .1 promises and hope for the luckeni ;orlag, bit as yet no action has been c¢a other than political strivings, gned to further weaken the power Austria as a state, but forever event her. from aligning herself with old-time friends. New natfons been carved from her bound- Old enemies have united in on-bound agrtements, watching and aiting for her gradul¥ decline. The hour of reckouning is now at directly, but under such circum-| Austria would remain forever under | outside domination. But before the Austrian question is solved feeling is sure to ‘become intense In Beveral old world capitals and strong pressure may be exerted to_enhance nationalistic intemests.- It is most certainly a fact that none of the allied powers ever will con- sent to Austria becoming bound up in economic and financial arfangements ~7(Continued on Thira Page) . bled white financially. The United cmiers have at various times held | stances it is generally conceded that | States could not yet supply men, but had a plethora of wealth. Each cnn-l tributed what it could—the allies men and the United States military supplies and food, or rather funds to purchase them. It was a time for action rather than for commissions to discuss mutual obligations, so that the acknowledgments whicht the allies gave took the form of notes. Thése are the debts which the allies are now asked to pay. | Our next question Is why did the | United States advance these sums? i Reasonable self-interest is the basi of all business transactions, and 1 think we will agree that it was also the prime motive actuating the vari- ous countries. France had no option, for she was Invaved. Britain's bond to defend Belgium was powerfully seconded by self-interest, for it was better to fight with France as an ally than to fight later alone. In like man- ner it was befter for the United States to fight with 6,500,000 veteran troops as allles than afterward to fight alone. I do not mean that there was no States and Britaln, for there was, but as the events recede in time, we real- ize that self-interest was in every in- stance a dominant factor. It was a case of helping others—and one’s self. Held a War Contribution. France and Britain threw every available man into the field because it was to their interest to do this. Britain also advanced huge sums to her allies because it was to her inter- est that they should make a strong resistance to the common enemy. She certainly did not make her loans as commercial transactions. Why the American government make ad- vances? For the same motives that actuated Britain. It wds to her ad- vantage that the allies should make an effective resistance while her armies were getting ready. Had she ot done this the war—her war— i might have been lost before she could strike & blow. To claim that these {advances resemble ordinary commer- {cial loans is to ignore facts. were advances to associates to be used in the joint enterprise, for the benefit of all; and they were made because }it was to the advantage of the Ameri- {can government to make them. Inci- | supervision of the U. 8. Treasury De- i partment. Let us imagine a case between in- diviguals. A banker and a farmer own large adjoining farms. They put in a drainage ditch for their joint benefit. There was a great rock ledge to cut through and the work was costly and dangerous. The farmer isupplied and paid the large number of workmen required. The banker blasting powder. The banker now demands payment of the cost of the materials he supplied and allows the farmer no credit for the men he em- ployed. Were not the services of the workmen as important as the tools and powder? The workmen needed tools, but tools were useless without workmen. What would any of you hard-headed business men say if you Wers, that farmer? Would not a court hold that the parties were not ordi- nary @ebtor and creditor, but associ- must they also! altrulsm in the motives of the United | did | They | !dentally, they were made under the! supplied money to purchase tools and loan, but an advance to be expended in the work in which both were inter- ested; and that if the farmer had ex- pended more than the banker he had Co-@perntion in the Field. Even when the American troops did o | arrive In force and began to take i their glorious part in bripging the war to a conclusion, they were still very deficient in artillery. In many cases they advanced under the pro- tection of a screen of shells from French or British artillery. This was ideal co-operation. It saved untold thousands of American lives and brought victory. Yet much of this i artillery and of those shells had been | their cost forms part of the so-called debt. In killed and seriously wounded France lost in the war 2,100,000; Britain, 1.500,000; and Italy, 1.000,000. In men actually killed. the allies lost 2,660,000. The United States lost 50.- ] 000 killed. Canada lost 52,000. Prior to the war the wealth of was estimated at $85,000.- She now has a debt of about $35.000.000,000, or say 40 per cent. France’s wealth was estimated at $65,000,000,000. Her debt is now about 30,000,000.000. or nearly 30 per cent. The United States has an estimated wealth of $220,000,000.000, with a war debt of $22,000.000,000, or 10 per cent. 1f the amount now claimed be re- paid, her debt will be reduced to $12.- 000,000,000, or a little over 5 per cent. The allies, from the day each en- tered the struggle, applied all their resources in men, money and ma- terials to the prosecution of the war, giving everything they had without stint. Should the United ! Britain 1 000.000. tribute practically nothing for a year after her entry? Was she not as wholehedrted as her associates? During the Napoleonic wars Brit- ain. made heavy advances to her al- lies. and these she freely canceled. It was felt that the moSt wealthy nation should properly contribute more financially than the others. Counter Claims of Allles. To sum up: These advances were made after the United States entered ‘the war; they were made exactly as were the contributions in men or money of the other associates; there is no reason why contributions of one associate Should be treated as lcans while those of the others are | treated as gifts; these advances were not ordinary loans, for they were made for expenditure for the benefit of all the associates and because the United States desired those expendi- tures to be made. If these advances Dbe treated as mere loans, the United States made no effective contribution to the joint war for a year after her | entry, ahd has not borne her reason- i able share of the joint burdens; and, | finaly, the allies have counter claims ! which should be a complete offset. * These claims have no basis in equity, and as to law, T submit that if the case were between individuals an American court would reject them. That Britain admits the debt merely means that she prizes the friendship of the United States too highly to have a dispute, and agrees to pay rather than tarnish her national honor in the eyes of any one. These vlews are held by many of your most eminent citizens, includ- ing such an outstanding legal author- ity as Justice Clarke of the United States Supreme Court. I quote from an address made by him: “Consider what our condition would | have been with Germany victorious. * * * Such is something of the abyss into which we :should have been plunged if we had not joined with the allies and made victory possible. * * © “What saved us from the immeas- urable calamity of such a war? It was the French, British and Italian sol- diers who held the battle line in Europe for the year that was neces- | 1 i Supplies were the one formiiof as-|ates; that this was not an ordinary | sary ‘for us to train and equip and purchased in the United States, and | States, with her vast resources; con- | transport to France the great armies which, thank God, proved sufficient to cast the declding weight into the wavering balance of war. No amount a complete offset and owned nothing.; of money can pay for such a sesvice. * * * More than a million soldiers of our allles were killed, and another million gravely wounded, during that fatetul year. * # * Heed the Battle Line. “Our firet and indispensable service, the only one that we were able in- stantly to render, was to furnish to our all but financially exhausted al- lies. fhe advances to enable them to hold the battle line until we could come. What was the, money loaned for, and wiat was it Used for? Sup- plemented by other billions, which the allies themselves provided, the money was used to purchase the cannon and ammunition, the clothing and food that maintained the six and a half millions of soldiers who for that year of unparalleled carnage held back the common enemy, not less for our country than for their o A e e “In length of Service. in loss of lite, even in money spent, the sacri- fice of our allies was €o much greater than ours that we shall never be able to convince them, or to con- vince impartial history, that these loans, used in the common cause, should in justice be returned to us by our prostrate friends. * * * “The war was the noblest joint en- terprise in the history of mankind, and our country discharged the part assigned to it In such a high fash- fon that the glory of it will be the most preclous possession of those who shall come after us for cen- turies unless we despoil them of it by making America the Shylock among the nations by the collection of these debts.” (I protest, however, against this phrase being applied to my Amer- ican friends, for 1 know well that if they appear to take that position it is because of ignorance of the facts.) Means Crus x Taxation. “To make payment. the nations must impose crushing taxes on their people * ¢ * condemned to pinch- ing poverty vear after year to pay a debt which not one of them be- lieves to be morally or justly due. * o @ \ 'We should tell the truth to the country. We should say to the peo- ple that these loans are neither a moral nor a just obligation, because if they were paid we should not have borne our just share of the burden of defending the great com- : mon chuse.” Surely the opinion of American jurist should have weight. The allied peoples do not ask a do- nation. They ask only justice. I should, however, be realized that this claim is one of the principal ob- stacles to the rehabilitation of Eu- rope and of the world. The lessening of the burdens of taxation in coun- tries. where they are of crushing weight is a first essential. But for this claim there would already have been a wholesale cancellation of in- terallied debts and probably other adjustments. Payment of these de- mands would mean a further addi- tion to the taxes in Britain of from 5 to 7 per cent on all incomes from £100 up. It is sometimes said that cancella- tion of these debts would encourage Europe in further- war expenditures. This is certainly not true of Britain. As for other countries, how can their action” be influenced by insisting on a claim which they tonsider unjust and do not intend to pay? In any case, would that create a debt if none now really exists? And now I rest my,case. The judg- ment of the-American people is sound, but they must hear both sides. My own conviotion Is that when they understand the facts they will de- mand that their government cancel these claims gladly, and without con- aition. They will pay their way. f this greal‘ the Washington conference up to the present time? Three of the nations involved— sigaatories to all of the pacts except, of course, the Shantung treaty—have ratified all of the treaties and agree- ments. They are the United States, Great Britain and Japan. China has ratified the nine-power treaty, and both China and Japan have ratified the Shantung treaty. The five-power naval treaty, there- fore, has been ratified by three of |the powers signatory to it—the United States, Great Britain and Japan. The four-power Pacific treaty has been ; ratifled by three of the four nations signing it—the United States, Great Britain and Japan; and the nine- power for-east treaty has been rati- ifled by four of the nine nations—the United States, Great Britain, Japan and China. All to Be Ratified. That all of the treaties and com- pacts will be ratified eventually by all the nations involved is the confi- dent expectation of the officials of the administration. In the case of some of the nations opportunity must be given for further meeting of their parliamentary bodles. But a few more months at most is considered all the time necessary for ratifica- tion. When all the nations have rati- fled the formal ratifications will be exchanged here in Washington—the j diplomatic representatives of the va- rious nations presenting the action of their governments. The President of the United States will then announce the exchange and the treaties will be in full force and effect. Things are moving along as rapidly as could be expected, officials here contend. In France the treaties have been re ferred to the chamber of deputles. ate and the chamber of deputies. action has yet been taken upon them. The French parliament does not re- convene until about the middle of October. But It is pointed out that the French government has submit- ted the treaties without proposing any amendments or reservations, and it 1s expected that they will be rati- fied as they stand, although there have been mome suggestions by un- official sources in France that reser- vations should be made. Italy Walts Upon France. Italy, it appears, is waiting upon France to ratify. It was the conten- tion of Italy at the Washingtor con- ference that she was in hearty accord with the United States and the trea- ties proposed, but that it was essen- tial for her to know what France would do and to have what France had This with particular reference to the naval limitation treaty. So the ratification by Italy of the pacts signed by her is expected to follow promptly action by France. France has been occupled for months with the problem of German reparations. Evervthing, it seems, revolves around that problem, and even the Washington treaties in a way may be sald to be involved, in the French mind, with this problem. But whatever the final solution of that problem, it is not believed here that France will be willing to turn down the Washington treatles. The belief exists in some informed foreign quarters here, however, that even should France fail to ratify the | naval limitation treaty, and Italy for that reason should also fail to fall | | In line and ratify, the treaty would be carried out by the thres great naval powers of the world that hava | already given assent to 1t—the Unized | States, Great Britain and Japem: After all, in the first instance, the naval limitation treaty was concelyed to put an end to the ruinous nawal jarmament race which was being con- ducted by the three great naval powers. This does not mean, «of course, that the ratification of this treaty by France and Italy is not earnestly desired. Ends Anglo-Japanese Alliance. The same belief 1s found to exts with regard to the four-power Pacifio treaty, under whose terms the Anglo~ Japanese alliance will cease to exjst. i France Is the only power which fis not ratified this pact. The Washington conference and | the Washington treaties already have had a beneficial effect. The United tates government, in anticipation of | the ratification of the naval limita- | tion treaty, has curtailed its appro- | priations for the Navy by many mil- lions of dollars. It has reduced by many thousands the personnel of the Navy; it has thrown out appropri tions for continuing the construction of the great vessels it had under way; it has made plans for scrapping the vessels it agreed to do away With. {The actual scrapping of these vessels, | however. naturally will await the i final exchange of ratifications of the | treaty. The same curtailment of ex- | penditures, it is said. has been made | by Great Britain and by Japan, to the benefit of the taxpayers. Pence in the Pacific. Before the Washington conference was held there were recurring rumors of coming trouble between the United States and Japan. The press of this country and of Japan gave space to sensational reports. Eut since tha Washington conference the suspicion that existed in the minds of many in both nations has given place to & better understanding. There is dfs- tinctly a better feeling. This result undoubtedly is due to the conference itself—the getting together of the representatives of the natlons inter- ested in the problems of the Pacifie. | 1¢ has been helped by the prospective elimination of the. Anglo-Japanese {alliance, which, righly or wrongly, | was held to be a menace to peace in the far east. ¥ £ China has been passing through & difficult period in the last six months, but recent reports indicate that there seems to be a break in the clouds that have hung over that nation. Undoubtedly the pledges that were made here by the powers aksembled to respect the rights of China will have a beneficial effect, and, It i be- lieved, already have had such sa effect there. Some of the agresments with regard to China are dependent upon the establishment of a stable government in China herself. The effort of the conferees was largely ta give China a chance to help herself. The reassembling of the FremcH parliament naturally 1s awaited with much interest here. What Framce will do with the treaties, and whan, is a matter of much moment. The day that President Harding is able to annognce to the world the formal exchange of ratifications of all the Washington treaties by all the Bsa tions will be indeed an historic date. 3 | | Gl omins ot e oty S s WL b o B CENTRAL AMERICAN UNION ' PROSPECTS ARE BRIGHTER Agreement Signed BY BEN McKELWAY. HEN the presidents of three Central Amercican re- publics—Nicaragua. Hon- duras and Salvador—met by common agreement aboard the United States - cruiser Tacoma last week and in the presence of the American ministers to their coun- tries renewed the treaty of peace and friendship. signed in Washing- }um in 1807, they took one of the most important * steps in history toward preserving peace in a land whose growth and development has always been hampered by political iintrigue and petty warfare. This much is conceded by Central Ameri- ican diplomats in Washington who profess to see in the conference the ! beginning of a new order of rela- { tions between -the republics of Cen- tral America. eAside from the spirit of friendship and good feeling remewed by the conference, there are two outstanding accomplishments which are of especial significance in the opinion of some ob- servers. Rexpect for Frontiers. The first is the agreement reached between the conferees to prohibit leaders of agitation, politjcal immi- grants or their agents from living 1 near the frontiers and to share the | responsibility of preventing armed {invasions by these bands by their immediate arrest and punishment upon the request of the government threatened. = The second is a decision to hold & conference in December for the discussion of economic matters, closer commercial relations, free ex-; change of products and the unifica- tion of money, customs, tariffs and ways of communication. This con- ference, it is believed, will be held in Washington and will be the first step tdward another attempt at forming & union of Central American states. Caused by Revelutions. Central America’s curse has been Last Week Aboard Tacoma May Be Followed by a Conference Here. | her revolutions. inspired in virtually every case by disgruntled politiclans whose sole aim has been to advance their petty interests. Observers here are Inclined to belicve that the com- certed action agreed upon by the presidents of Nicaragua, Honduras and Salvador to keep their borders clean of these political malcontents and fomentors of revolution is By far the most important result of the conference. In the past, a favorite 'practice has been for the revolution= ist to cross the border of his coume try long enough to hatch his plans and gather his co-conspirators for his coup d’etat. Beyond its territoryy his own government was powerldss to reach him, and when the ap- {pointed time came he crossed the { border, marched on the capital and— presto! Another revolution, a gO¥Z ernment changes hands overnight land the country is thrown Into & | turmoil which subsides about the time another revolution s due. By the present’ agreement, in ad< | aition to ridding its borders of men jdangerous to the peace of another republic, in case of an invasion the government in whose territory the expedition originates must send & {force to dispel the invaders and punish the leaders, expelling them { upon request of the threatened gov- ernment. Provided this agreement is carried out to the letter, it shoul@ rid the states invoived of a mensés | which has always been present. And ! until they are relieved of this mén= ace, the Central American repubfica can never hope to accomplish what a normal” development of their re- sources promises. E * May Bring About Uniom. So far as the proposed conferemee next December is concerned, observ- ers here believe it will do much toward bringing about what all Cetl tral America Dbelieve 15 a good thing, but .something they have nevér been able to accomplish—a union of Central American states. They base (Continued on Third Page) . i e