The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-17
Armament Contractors
Responsible for Great
est Economic Evil.
DRIVING NATIONS
INTO BANKRUPTCY
Rivalry Between United States
and Japan Crushing Latter
Country Under Load of
Taxcs-London Editor
Points Out Fallacy
of Great Navies.

Washington. D. G, December fG-
| That war scares arc largely inspired
| by armament contractors who ulti-
| inateiy would drag various countries
/ into the bankruptcy court" VAS
/ charged by Francis ". HRS. editor
( of the London Economist. In an ad
1 dress before The international con.
! ference OF the American Society for
/ Judicial Settlement or international
I Disputes tonight
I He characterized as absurd TIE pur-
I chase OF preadnaughts ~ Brazil ITO
! protect Itself against Argentina. ana
declared that tho rivalry between
Japan and the United States was
crushing the people OF Japan under
a load of taxes. while armament ex-
ponditures also were wrecktng tho
! finances OF Great Britain and Ger
many.
An International Court.
The Supreme Court OF the United
States as analogous TO the proposed
arbitral court was often cited in the
discussions OF the conference. An
drew j. Montague, former Governor
Of Virginia, characterized the united
states Supreme Court as an intern9-
;ional court because ii was called
upon to settle differences between
sovereign States
General depreciation OF war was
added to by Dean Charles Noble
Gregory, of iowa State University, who
said aviation was new means of de-
stroyins man by overhead attacks,
the inland cities now being no more
immune from invasion than the sea
coast points.
The permanent Court of Arbitral
Justice. the purposes OF which the So
ciety hopes ultimately to put into ct-
effect, received favorable and unfavOr-
able treatment by various speakers OF
the day. Mr. Hirst, tho English repre-
sentative at the conference, comment
ed on the danger OF having the court
too judicial" urging that diplomacy
be mingled with justice FOR the gem
erai satisfaction Of all. Mr.. fiirst read
letter from Lord Loreburn, LORD
tIigh Chancellor of England. who
wrote:
Il need not tell YOU how deep and
sincere is my sympathy with any move
ment TO further the judicial settle
ment OF international disputes. 1t Is
the hope Of the future and VIII be
realized, OF that l am confident. sooner
or later And when 1t comes. the
world Viii, with gratitude. remember
the sustained efforts OF the american
government in this good cause, and
will treasure them among the ioftiest
of great nations
My purpose" said Mr.. hlrst. rs TO
show that the evils and dangers are
shifting and changing, SO
we must be ready to apply various
The growing wealth ana
power of contractors who supply gov
ernments with stores and armaments
of all k nds is portentous. They can
well afford to keep a press which sha..
rouse or aggravate national fears ana
jealousies. playing off one prospective
against another.
An Economic Mischief.
THE diversion of capital from fruit
full enterprises into forts and battle
ships. OF men from productive employ
ment to armies and fleets, where they
have to live upon the taxes, Is perhaps
the most obvious OF the great eco
nomic mischiefs of our time
Are all nationp TO join in the race
for expenditures on armies and navies
until they fall down one by one ex-i
lausted in the bankruptcy court?
1T Is the good fortune OF the United |
States to be SO rich. populous and pow
erful and so far removed from panicky
contact with armed ne!ghbors that she
IS free to play the part of mediator In |
this international feud."
He closed with the statement that
lie who could bring about a scheme I
which would be adopted by The Hague /
FOR the limitation OF armaments would
win eternal fame.