During 1919-20 and 1921 "the tarantella was still in their blood." The mad war dance was still quivering in their limbs and they could not rest. The crackle of musketry was incessant1 and made needful repose2 impossible. There was not a country in Europe or Asia whose troops were not firing shots in anger at some external or internal foe3.
America rang down the fire curtain until this hysterical4 frenzy5 had burnt itself out. Was she right? It is too early yet to give the answer. The case is but yet "part heard"—many witnessing years whose evidence is relevant have not yet entered the box: it will, therefore, be some time before the verdict of history as to her attitude can be delivered.
But 1922 testifies to many striking symptoms of[Pg 96] recovering sanity6 on the part of the tortured continents. Before 1922 you had everywhere the querulity of the overstrained nerve. The slightest offence or misunderstanding, however unintentional, provoked a quarrel, and almost every quarrel was followed by a blow. It was a mad world to live in. The shrieks7 of clawing nations rent the European night and made it hideous8. A distinguished9 general declared that at one period—I think it was the year of grace 1920—there were thirty wars, great and small, proceeding10 simultaneously11. Who was to blame? Everybody and nobody. Mankind had just passed through the most nerve-shattering experience in all its racking history, and it was not responsible for its actions. Millions of young men had for years marched through such a pitiless rain of terror as had not been conceived except in Milton's description of the battle scenes when the fallen angels were driven headlong to the deep. And when the Angel of Peace led the nations out from the gates of hell, no wonder it took them years to recover sight and sanity. Nineteen twenty-two was a year of restored composure.
The outward visible sign was seen in the changed character of the international conferences held [Pg 97]during the year. The ultimatum12 kind of conference gave way to the genuine peace conference. The old method insisted upon by French statesmen was to hammer out demands on the conference anvil13 and send them in the form of an ultimatum to nations who, in spite of peace treaties, were still treated as enemies; the new method was to discuss on equal terms the conditions of appeasement14.
Germany, having no fleet in the Pacific, was not invited to the Washington conference, and Russia was excluded for other reasons. But at Cannes Germany was represented, and at Genoa both Germany and Russia had their delegates.
The Washington conference was, in some respects, the most remarkable15 international conference ever held. It was the first time great nations commanding powerful armaments had ever sat down deliberately16 to discuss a voluntary limitation of their offensive and defensive17 forces. Restrictions18 and reductions have often been imposed in peace treaties by triumphant19 nations upon their beaten foes20. The Versailles treaty is an example of that operation. But at Washington the victors negotiated a mutual21 cutting-down of navies built for national safety and strengthened by national[Pg 98] pride. The friends of peace therefore have solid ground for their rejoicing in a contemplation of substantial reductions already effected in the naval22 programmes of the most powerful maritime23 countries in the world—Britain, the United States of America, and Japan—as a direct result of the Washington negotiations24.
American statesmanship has given a lead of which it is entitled to boast, and 1922 is entitled to claim that this triumph of good understanding has brought a measure of glory which will give it a peculiar25 splendour amongst the years of earth's history.
The gatherings26 at Cannes and Genoa can also claim outstanding merit in the large and growing family of international conferences. At Washington the Allies alone foregathered. At Cannes and Genoa nations came together which had only recently emerged out of deadly conflict with each other. At each conference I met on both sides men who had but just recovered from severe wounds sustained in this struggle. At Cannes French, Belgian, Italian, Japanese, as well as British ministers and experts, sat down in council with German ministers and experts to discuss the vexed27 question[Pg 99] of reparations without taunt28 or recrimination. There was a calm recognition not only of the needs of the injured countries, but also of the difficulties of the offending state. Outside and beyond the German problem there was a resolve to eliminate all the various elements of disturbance29, political and economic, that kept Europe in a ferment30 and made its restoration impossible.
Here it was decided31 to summon all the late belligerent32 nations to a great conference at Genoa to discuss reconstruction33. To these were added the neutral nations of Europe. It was a great decision. There were three obstacles in the way of realising the programme. The first was the stipulation34 of France that the specific problems raised by the treaty of Versailles should be excluded altogether from the purview35 of the conference. This was a grave limitation of its functions and chances. Still, if the Cannes sittings had continued, an arrangement might have been arrived at with the Germans which would have helped the deliberations of Genoa. The second obstacle was the refusal of America to participate in the discussions. Why did the American government refuse? There were probably good reasons for that refusal, but the[Pg 100] recording36 angel alone knows them all fully37 and accurately38. The third obstacle was the fall of the Briand ministry39, and the substitution of a less sympathetic administration. In spite of all these serious drawbacks Genoa accomplished40 great things. It brought together into the same rooms enemies who had not met for years except on the battlefield. They conferred and conversed41 around the same table for weeks—at conferences, committees, and sub-committees. They broke bread and drank wine together at the same festive42 boards. Before the conference came to an end there was an atmosphere of friendliness43 which was in itself a guarantee of peaceable relations, for the delegates who represented the nations at Genoa were all men of real influence in their respective countries.
But however important the intangible result, there was much more achieved. The thirty nations represented in the assembly entered into a solemn pact44 not to commit any act of aggression45 against their neighbours. When they entered the conference there were few of them who were not oppressed with suspicions that these neighbours meditated46 violence against their frontiers. When they arrived at Genoa they were all anxious for peace, but [Pg 101]apprehensive of impending47 war. Genoa dispelled48 those anxieties.
One of the most promising49 results of the pact and the improved atmospheric50 conditions out of which it arose is the substantial reduction in the Bolshevik army. It has already been reduced to the dimensions of the French army, and we are now promised a further reduction. That removes a real menace to European peace. If the reduction of armies in the East of Europe is followed by a corresponding reduction in the West the reign51 of peace is not far distant.
This is not the time to dwell upon the important agreements effected at Genoa on questions of exchange, credit, and transport. All the recommendations made depend for their successful carrying out on the establishment of a real peace and a friendly understanding between nations. Peace and goodwill52 on earth is still the only healing evangel for idealists to preach and statesmen to practise. Without it plans and protocols53 must inevitably54 fail.
Where does peace stand? The weary angel is still on the wing, for the waters have not yet subsided55. She may perhaps find a foothold in the[Pg 102] Great West, and Britain is fairly safe—not yet Ireland.
But the continent of Europe is still swampy56 and insecure. The debate in the French Chamber57 on reparations is not encouraging. The only difference of opinion in the discussion was that displayed between those who advocated an advance into the Ruhr, and the seizure58 of pledges further into German territory, and those who preferred "developing" the left bank of the Rhine. Occupying, controlling, developing, annexing—they all mean the same thing; that the province to the left bank of the Rhine is to be torn from Germany and grafted59 into France.
There is no peace in this talk. It is a sinister60 note on which to end the pacific music of 1922. You must interpret it in connection with another event of 1922—the Russo-German agreement. Since then Chicherin—a spirit of mischief61 incarnate—has almost made Berlin his abode62. The men who are devoting their ingenuity63 to devising new torments64 for Germany are preparing new terrors for their own and their neighbours' children.
The year ends with rumours65 of great American projects for advancing large sums of money to all[Pg 103] and sundry67 in the hope of settling the vexed question of German reparation. The loan, it is surmised68, will be accompanied by guarantees on the part of France not to invade further German territory. Some go so far as to conjecture69 that it is to be an essential condition of participation70 in this Christmas bounty71 of Madame Rumour66 that France is to reduce her armies and to undertake not to exceed Washington limits for her navies.
Nobody seems to know, and I am only repeating the gossip of the press. But if the £350,000,000 loan is likely to materialise, its projectors72 are wise in imposing73 conditions that would afford them some chance of receiving payment of a moderate interest in the lifetime of this generation.
London, December 20th, 1922.
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1 incessant | |
adj.不停的,连续的 | |
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2 repose | |
v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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3 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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4 hysterical | |
adj.情绪异常激动的,歇斯底里般的 | |
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5 frenzy | |
n.疯狂,狂热,极度的激动 | |
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6 sanity | |
n.心智健全,神智正常,判断正确 | |
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7 shrieks | |
n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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8 hideous | |
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
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9 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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10 proceeding | |
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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11 simultaneously | |
adv.同时发生地,同时进行地 | |
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12 ultimatum | |
n.最后通牒 | |
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13 anvil | |
n.铁钻 | |
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14 appeasement | |
n.平息,满足 | |
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15 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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16 deliberately | |
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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17 defensive | |
adj.防御的;防卫的;防守的 | |
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18 restrictions | |
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则) | |
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19 triumphant | |
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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20 foes | |
敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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21 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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22 naval | |
adj.海军的,军舰的,船的 | |
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23 maritime | |
adj.海的,海事的,航海的,近海的,沿海的 | |
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24 negotiations | |
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过 | |
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25 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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26 gatherings | |
聚集( gathering的名词复数 ); 收集; 采集; 搜集 | |
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27 vexed | |
adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论 | |
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28 taunt | |
n.辱骂,嘲弄;v.嘲弄 | |
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29 disturbance | |
n.动乱,骚动;打扰,干扰;(身心)失调 | |
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30 ferment | |
vt.使发酵;n./vt.(使)激动,(使)动乱 | |
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31 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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32 belligerent | |
adj.好战的,挑起战争的;n.交战国,交战者 | |
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33 reconstruction | |
n.重建,再现,复原 | |
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34 stipulation | |
n.契约,规定,条文;条款说明 | |
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35 purview | |
n.范围;眼界 | |
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36 recording | |
n.录音,记录 | |
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37 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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38 accurately | |
adv.准确地,精确地 | |
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39 ministry | |
n.(政府的)部;牧师 | |
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40 accomplished | |
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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41 conversed | |
v.交谈,谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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42 festive | |
adj.欢宴的,节日的 | |
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43 friendliness | |
n.友谊,亲切,亲密 | |
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44 pact | |
n.合同,条约,公约,协定 | |
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45 aggression | |
n.进攻,侵略,侵犯,侵害 | |
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46 meditated | |
深思,沉思,冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 ); 内心策划,考虑 | |
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47 impending | |
a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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48 dispelled | |
v.驱散,赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49 promising | |
adj.有希望的,有前途的 | |
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50 atmospheric | |
adj.大气的,空气的;大气层的;大气所引起的 | |
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51 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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52 goodwill | |
n.善意,亲善,信誉,声誉 | |
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53 protocols | |
n.礼仪( protocol的名词复数 );(外交条约的)草案;(数据传递的)协议;科学实验报告(或计划) | |
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54 inevitably | |
adv.不可避免地;必然发生地 | |
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55 subsided | |
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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56 swampy | |
adj.沼泽的,湿地的 | |
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57 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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58 seizure | |
n.没收;占有;抵押 | |
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59 grafted | |
移植( graft的过去式和过去分词 ); 嫁接; 使(思想、制度等)成为(…的一部份); 植根 | |
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60 sinister | |
adj.不吉利的,凶恶的,左边的 | |
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61 mischief | |
n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 | |
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62 abode | |
n.住处,住所 | |
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63 ingenuity | |
n.别出心裁;善于发明创造 | |
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64 torments | |
(肉体或精神上的)折磨,痛苦( torment的名词复数 ); 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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65 rumours | |
n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 );风闻;谣言;谣传 | |
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66 rumour | |
n.谣言,谣传,传闻 | |
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67 sundry | |
adj.各式各样的,种种的 | |
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68 surmised | |
v.臆测,推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 );揣测;猜想 | |
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69 conjecture | |
n./v.推测,猜测 | |
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70 participation | |
n.参与,参加,分享 | |
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71 bounty | |
n.慷慨的赠予物,奖金;慷慨,大方;施与 | |
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72 projectors | |
电影放映机,幻灯机( projector的名词复数 ) | |
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73 imposing | |
adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的 | |
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74 prudent | |
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的 | |
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