Wise

A wise woman, with fine clothes to strut, makes for the most famous avenue within reach. A wise man, with fine theories to air, hies him to the most important conference or institute that will admit him.

Last week at Williamstown, Mass., wise men talked, wise men disputed. The fair mountain atmosphere was charged with theories. This was as the founders of the Institute of International Politics had intended. Open discussion is good for the understanding. But the public was perplexed, as it usually is when wise men disagree.

Dr. William S. Culbertson, U. S. Tariff Commissioner, presided over sessions on International Finance, read a letter to the Institute from Congressman Theodore E. Burton, of Ohio, a member of the U. S. Debt-Funding Commission. Said Mr. Burton: "The sentiment of the people of the U. S. is overwhelmingly against release of the so-called foreign debts."

Immediately up jumped Roland W. Boyden, of Boston, onetime unofficial U. S. observer with the Reparations Commission. Said he: "Business principles and economic facts in the end are bound to cause a revision of the inter-Allied debts."

The flurry passed. Came comment on the Dawes report, plaudits for the League. Then David Hunter Miller, New York lawyer, started another tempest. Mr. Miller's admission ticket to the Institute was compounded of service with the American Peace Commission and experience as counsel for the German Government on the Upper Silesian question before the League in 1921.

He pointed with pride to the League's aims and accomplishments in disarming the world, belittled the results of the 1921 Washington Conference on Limitation of Armament.

Hot debate followed. An Admiral, three Rear Admirals, a college professor and a writer on naval affairs heckled Mr. Miller; a League secretary (a woman) assisted him. The naval men stuck for "limitation" as differing from "disarmament."

Rear Admiral William L. Rodgers, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the General Board of the U. S. Navy, attended the Institute, "determined to be as disagreeable as ever." He is a pale man, but can see red. Chafed by three days of peace palaver, Rodgers blurted out that before the century ends the U. S. will, the U. S. should, plunge into a war of aggression.