The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1919-08-14
ArtIeIe Nm.
reduction Of Armaments,

tiOn Of national armamentS TO the
lowest point consistent with nation
al safety and the enforcement by
common action of international obli-
cations. Taking account Of the geo
graphical situation and circumstan-
ces of each state, the council is to
formulate plans for such reduction
for the consideration and action of
the several governments. The league
members agree to exchange full in
formation as to the scale of their
ornaments, their military and naval
programmes and their warlke in
dustres. After adoption by the sew
eraI governments of the plan of re.
duction, the limits of armaments
therein fixed are not to be exceed
ed without the concurrence of the
council The plans ar to be recon.
sidered and revised at least every
ten years. The league members
agree that the manufacture by pri-
vate enterprise of munitions and inn
plements OF war is open to grave
objections and the council is to ad-
wise how these evils can be prevent
ed.
This is the first Of the four great
steps toward securing permanent
peace in the league constitution and
Is as important as any. One of the
great factors in bringing on this
war and in making it what it was
the race in armaments between
the European nations. Prussia Un-
der Bismarck perfected its military
establishment by winning three wars,
first against Denmark, secondly,
against Austria, and then against
France-thus the German empire was
made in 1871. From that time on,
the German armament has been in
creased and has kept pace with the
growth of German desire for world
domination A thorough and dras-
tic system of conscription, military
training and reserves, built up the
German military establishment so
that IL was a perfect machine and
far more formidable than that of
any other government. Fear of it
prompted every continental nation
not in alliance with Germany to en-
large its armament Germanys al
lies, Austria and Italy, joined in the
race at her instance. Thus these
huge war establishments went on in
creasing fro mdecade to decade. AT
ter a time, Germany acquired naval
ambition, and then the race began
between her and Great Britain.
Evils of MiIitarism.
The inevitable result of all of this
with its intent was war and war
came. The evils may be easily sum-
married..
First: Grievous burdens of taxa
tion were imposed upon the peoples
of the competing countries. Their
producing capacity was seriously inn
paired by consuming three years of
the best producing part of the lives
of their young men
Second: Consciousness of the
power of such military establish
ment produced turbulence and bul-
lying tendency on the part of Ger
many who kept ahead in the race
The kaiser Haunted to the world
the diplomatic trumphs he achieved
by standing forth in his shining
armor." His military machine and
his knowledge Of the defects of the
Russian and French machines led
him to improve the occasion of the
Austrianser difficulty to seek
war before the defects of his rivals
could be supplied Thus the race
OF armament brought on this war
Third: The growth of these enor-
nous armaments under snch condi-
tions have made this war the most
destructive in history Peoples and
civilizations have been the objects
Of attack, not armies merely The
killing of non-combatants, old men,
women and children and the perma-
rent deva station Of enemy country
have been features of the German
campaigns and all because the vast
military preparations and the organ
ization of suitable machinery natur-
ally led to this method of winning
lasting victory and permanent con
quest
This succession causes with the
result is bound to recur again unless
the great powers of the world lead
all nations to suppress such danger
Gus competition. The end is to be
achieved so far as Germany. Aus
lria and Turkey are concerned by
compulsory terms OF peace. The
drastic provisions of the treaty just
p presented to the Germans for theirl
signature 1aqva no doubf on thie