The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1920. THE AMERICAN COUP D’ETAT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3623, 9 November 1920, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1920. THE AMERICAN COUP D’ETAT.

With which is incorporated “The Taihape Post and Waimarino News.”

The Presidential election presents another instance of the desire of the United States people for change of some kind, of any kind rather than none. Something different to what at present obtains is wanted; there is a feeling abroad that** no new condition can be worse than that at present endured, and , even revolution and anarchy become a menace • as a consequence. The swamping of democracy and the enthronement of Republicanism in the United States seems to be much less due to political considerations than to that all but universal desire for something fresh in the way of Government. New 1 Zealand has long ago ceased to lead the world in progressive legislation, for both in Britain and in the United States women have been elected to Parliament, and to various other a political positions, which further support indications for something novel in local institutions as well as in Congress and Parliament. Women have been elected, in the recent elections, to almost every variety of State office, including State Senators, Sheriffs’ Officers, Mayoresses, treasurers and county clerks. It is not difficult to understand that the Republicans, by virtue of the overwhelming wave of popular feeling which has given their nominee the Presidency, have had an apprehensive responsibility thrust upon them at a-time which is fraught with all the possibilities of national trouble from within as well as from without. Whether the American people have yet realised that they have once more cast for national isolation is doubtful, for it seems that they have much to fear from an enemy of their own making across, the Pacific; an enemy that when it strikes will strike very hard, and, whether it succeeds or fails, will strike with appalling effect. : In Japan the Americans have an enemy well versed in the science and art of war; an enemy that will ffaee death as readily as an American will wave the Stars and Stripes, but withal an exceedingly clever and astute enemy. Of such is the. menace from without, but is th'e enemy from wifhis to be viewed any less concernedly? The motley racial mixture which constitutes American citizenship is a seething mass of anarchy and revolution, rendering necessary a large and (Mostly , army of vigilantes for keeping down outbreaks of an ararchic and revolutionary character. The vital question in America of the moment is: Will the Republican victory confirm Republicans in their seeming determination to flout the League of Nations idea altogether, or will the awful responsibility forced upon them modify their desire for isolation so far as to make the League something more than a waste of time and opportunity? Eastern nations, including India, are chafing under the treatment received from Western civilisations; Japan is building up a military and naval system not any loss menacing than was that of Germany; the Japanese are feverishly fortifying all strategic positions in Eastern seas wherever they hold sway. The United States Government is acting similarly on the other side of the Pacific. Arc those fortifications, warships, armaments, armies and navies merely to impress a prospective attacker with feelings of fear, or are they intended for the real bus-i ness of war? If so, arc the American people, by the election or ?i Republican Government, inviting a precipitation of the arniageddon of East versus West? It is improbable that, the populace share the anti-Leaguo of Nations sentiment of the men they have elected, but that can scarcely lessen the danger of a complete quittance from the Entente in Europe, and from any fomentation of strife with Japan. The American people were most likely actuated during the Presidential election with the one great desire for new conditions, which they were of~opinion could not he worse than those they sought to discard. The American masses, in common with the workers in other countries, are, oy their turn to Republicanism, seeking some amelioration of living conditions which, although not the result of war, have been considerably aggravated as a consequence of the war. For years'before l war was declared there had been a steadily increasing cost of life necessaries, and it is doubtful indeed whether their turn to Republicanism will prove any advantage in lessening the cost-of-living evil. In passing, it may be mentioned that such facts as gold being worth upwards of six pounds nor ounce are more reliable indications that the value of commodities must move in the opposite direction ■’•exults of elections can possiblv he. It hardly needs to be said that if all peoples and their govern-

ments really desired peace there would be a rapid return to a less suicidal system of trade; gold and commodities would gravitate to an equilibrium that would neither penalise the seller or purchaser, the financier or the manufacturer. The people of the United States have cast the electoral dice, not knowing what willyet turn up, for the political platforms evolved at preelection conventions hold out nothing tangible for people to place any great dependence on. New factors dominating the cost-of-living problem arc constantly arising, but the exceedingly high price to which gold has soared seems an unmistakable indication that the top rung has been trodden, and a downward course firmly entered upon. The one truly ' tragic paradox is that the prominent topic of Japanese and American Parliamentary debates is the enormous increase of' expenditure upon armaments. The Presidential election in the‘ United States docs not throw much light upon the international situation for Mr Harding was definite in his pre-election speeches upon nothing other than his desire to be domiciled as the Master of White House. Despite the United States’ uncertain future course, and the newest threat of Trotsky- with his invincible determination to bring about a world revolution, the price of gold speaks louder than all else about the assured decline of profiteering. However,The whole world concernedly awaits action that will indicate what the future policy of the United Slates is to be -with respect to the League of 'Nations, to the war problem generally, and* to the system of finance that will discover how far American financiers will go in bringing about a. rapid stabilisation of the nrieos of all commodities.