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Show COMPLIMENTS FOR PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY Th. most Important thing in politics poli-tics l tlu thawing of n doflnlto line. Tho temptation of the politician Id to Indulge in generalities; whereas, a sprciric program Is nlas necessao when a stop In ndvanco Is to be taken. tak-en. President Harding's speech laid the foundation for the statement of Secretary Hughes which followed. Tho President was posltlvo In committing com-mitting tho United States to a policy "Less armament and nono of war." Secretary Hughes workod up to his climax, using words Increasingly do-finite do-finite and emphatic until ho announc ed tho program proposed by tho United Unit-ed States, namely. Tho discontinuance of all battleship battle-ship building for ten years. Tho scrapping of moro than a mll-" mll-" halt tons of naval vessels, 'i tho United States would contribute 845,000 tons, tho British 583,000 tons nnd tho Japaneso 298-000 298-000 tons, our nation leading In tho number of tons to bo scrnpped although al-though It has not tho largost navy. Hero Is a program for other nations na-tions to accept or reject. If they accept tho conferonco will mnrk a tremendous step forward toward to-ward universal peace If tho navies aro Immediately ro-duced ro-duced as proposed and tho world has ten ears of rest from tho unbearable unbear-able expenses of preparedness, It will nover turn- bnck; at least this Is tho hopo and bellof of thoso who aro responsible for tho calling of tho conference. con-ference. No ono person can clatm a largo sharo of tho credit of thq movement bocauso the coercion was found in mingled voices of tho multitudes in all lands. Governments do not speak for themselves; thoy merely glvo expression ex-pression to tho heart throbs of tho overburdened masses, and theso masses mas-ses aro not llkoly to tolorate any return re-turn to conditions that havo compelled compel-led tho conference Tho President nnd Secrotary Hughes Hugh-es havo sensed tho sentiment of Am erica, and their words will bo applauded ap-plauded with a unanimity that few, If any, previous uttorances havo commanded com-manded Their words are winged with hope; thoy will stir a response so loud so long, and so Irreslstablo as to fix our nations positions at tho head of tho peace forces of tho world. Whllo no ono In this country can speak oo confidently of mentlment In other lands, It Is not improbable that surging humanity who nro allko at heart everywhero will speak words of command to any government that falter, but It Is not likely that any government will falter. If I wero to venturo a prediction It would bo that Gieat Brltlan will accept Immediately nnd that Japan will follow at onco, thus making the proposition tho minimum of tho conference's con-ference's accomplishments. Japan conscious that America's offer of-fer opens tho way to tho plaudits of tho woild, as well as to.tho relief of hei own people may even anticipate Great Britain's action nnd say "wo aro read to go as far as tho United States will go In disarming on land nnd sea." November 12 may becomo oven greater than November 11. Thrco years ago yesterday tho world was happier than It had been befoio In centuries, perhaps in all history Today's proceedings mny open the way to a thanksgiving daj still moro Jojous, when tho world can leat In tho belief that war Is "In tho piocess of ultlmato extinction W. J. Hran In tho Commoner. |