New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-02
PEACE AND ECONOMY.
SIR HENRY'S ARGU1LENT.
british Premier's Reasons for Re
duction of armament.

,,don March Sir Henry Campbell-Ban-
Imam the Premier, has published in 1.-The Ma
.,on % q new publication. an article IN which ne
,.a,cates briefly his reasons for holding as base
loss those objections brought up at nome ana
ob-oad 10 raising the question OF the hfnllatloh
:. ,r-,oroents at the approaching peace confer
- a. The Hague The Premier contends that
.,a original Hague meeting was convened LOT
- very purpose OF discussing this question:
o,d although, as was 10 have been expected IN
1oolino with such a delicate and complex mat
81 81 failed to reach an agreement ne never
tears II suggested that this discussion had lelI
hobind any Injurious consequences. he suoiiilIs
Ohio. 81 IS the business Of those opposing the re-
-ov-al Of the attempts 10 bring up this ouesuoh
- sl,ozv that some special and essential change
An the circumstances has arisen to render an
,4ter discussion inopportune or mischievous
Sir Henry argues that If 1t was desiraDie 10
.,+eront to limit the burden Of ornaments In
zoos # Is still more desirable TO do so to-day.
,-bor the weight of this burden has increased
-o-r,ouslv and SAYS that the suspicion held
4, 1905 has grown TO something like a certainty
to-day-that no limits could be set to the COM
yefitive struggle for sea power save by the
,rooess Of economic exhaustion. The Premier
saws he is aware, however, that no circum-
stances should make the submission OF the ques-
tion Of The limitation Of ornaments to the con-
1oranoa a matter for international misgiving or
sonosr. on the contrary. the points of diver
,naDca hetween the powers have become less
o.,,a and confined 10 a far smaller field Fur
,te-nore the sentiment In favor of peace mas
h.oon,e inoonparably stronger. and the idea or
sha arbitration and peaceful adjustment OF in
educational disputes has attained a practical
notency and moral authority undreamed OF IN
1903 Therefore the British Premier suggests
mat only on one hypothesis can the submission
NJ this crave matter to the conference be set
down as inadmissible, namely that the guaran-
tees OF peace, be they what they may, are to be
treated as having no practical bearing upon the
soale and intensity OF the warlike preparations
In his concluding remarks about the position
az Great Britain the Premier said:
". already have given an earnest OF our sin
oerity by considerable reductions in our naVai
and military expenditure, and We are prepared
40 60 further If We find similar disposition IN
other quarters. Our delegates, therefore, VIII
not go 10 the conference empty handed.
The Premier does not believe that Great
EFlain's example will count for nothing, as has
been suggested, because her naval preponder-
ance IS unimpaired. He is pursuaded that
fhroughout the world Great BritaIn's sea power
a. recognized as non-aggressive and innocent OF
designs against the independence or legitimate
development Of other states. The Premier says:
Our known adhesion TO two dominant princi-
pies the independence Of Municipalities ana the
freedom Of trade, entities US 10 claim that II
our fleets are invulnerable. they carry WIN
them no menace across the waters or the Worlu,
fFE a message OF the most cordial good VIII
based on belief in the community OF interests
between nations.