New-York tribune., 1919-06-26
World To Be Saddled With
Greatest Military Load
in History in Spite of
the League, He Asserts
SCOTS Peace Arguments
Saws Article X Demands
Armed Nations and That
in Turn Leads to War
Ne4r York Tribune
Washipotor Bureau

rents followed freedom of the seas"
into the waste basket at Versailles,
Senator Borah, of Idaho, declared to-
aay in attacking the army appropria-
son bill. Mr.. Borah spent little time
On the bill itself, directing most of the
hlows over the bills shoulder at the
league of nations.
Actually, he charged, instead of re-
aucing armaments throughout the
world. the effect of the peace treaty
and the league OF nations covenant has
been to saddle on even continental
Europe tax burdens for militarism such
as were never known in the old days
Of competitive war machines. The
Idaho Senator quoted General March
and naval officers to show that this
country, under the league, would have
to have much larger armies and navles
than ever before.
Senator Borah said the original War
Department estimate for the military
establishment for 1920 was S1,268, ,342,-
260, while the amount carried in the
bill as it passed the House was
| s7tS,654, SOL AS reported in the Sem
ate it carried 1888, ,703 ,848. He said he
did not see any occasion for increasing
the appropriation beyond the House
figures.
Says World Still Waits
"There was very general and
pretty we'll established belief, seeming
" justified by reason of declarations
which have been made by practically
all the governments of the world" said
Mr.. Borah, 'that the close of this war
would witness real and substantial
movement toward disarmament. The
world anxiously waited for some mani
festation of good faith that such
programme would be initiated and car
ried to a successful conclusion.
"People were attracted to the whole
scheme involved in the treaty at YER
sailles, including the league of nations,
because of what they believed to be
fair assurance that there would be
guarantee, backed by actual perform
arce, of disarmament.
"Does the Senator feel lnterrupted
Senator Jones, of New Mexico, chat if
the covenant of the league OF nations
we're not adopted this movement
toward disarmament would receive very
ruch Of an impetus? If the league OF
nations is no. entered into by the
United States, does the Senator then
feel that we would be warranted IN not
eoiny ahead with this preparation :"
"We have before us not only q pro-
gramme in the form of treaty and OF
a league which gives no guarantee or
assurance of disarmament" replied
Senator Borah, "but we have an in
terpretation or a construction OF the
league by the nations which are ce-
sponsible for it which indicates beyond
question that those nations do not ex-
pect disarmament. On the other hand,
!! appears that there will have to be
l1,,c Yron T
armament the world has ever contem-
plated in time of peace.
Cites Plans Under Way
"E ore will examine the programme
as outlined in England for its army
and the increase Of it's navy, and in
France and in Japan and in the United
States, he will have no trouble in COM
ing - the conclusion that those who
are most familiar with the purpose of
the .--caty and of the league do not for
disarmament. To the contrary, it calls
for such armaments as none of those
nations in their separate and indi-
viduai action has ever maintained here
toforc without any league or any cove
nant between them. 1t is such pro-
gramme as none OF them has hereto
fore thought necessary to adopt.
u do not undertake to go into the
question whether or not we could dis
arm at this time. But I do want to
call the attention of the country to
the construction that has been placed
upon Article (the disarmament Sec
tom by the advocates Of the league.
This is not the construction which is
actually being placed upon it in the
legislative Assembly or in Parliament,
Hhc fho Nf m 70
essary to carry it into effect are con-
sidered in a concrete and practical way.
1t IS having one construction in popu-
lar parlance and before the people at
large. 1t is having an entirely hf-
ierent construction in the appropria-
ton committees here and in the parlia-
ments which have to deal with the mat
ter"
After quoting Article 8 providing
mat members Of the league recognize
ne maintenance of peace requires the
REDUCTION Of national armaments to
the lowest point consistent with ma
aonai safety and the enforcement by
common action of international obli-
cations" Senator Borah went on:
idle to Talk of Peace"
Without any particular urgency Of
tne principle, this article recognizes
mat the maintenance of peace requires
the reduction Of national arnaments,
principle which all thinking, reflect
ing, sane people do recognize. With
out the reduction Of national arma-
ments and a programme which insures
and guarantees that reducstion it is
iaie TO talk about world at peace.
=, An armed world is fighting world.
Nasions armed TO the teeth are not the
Elements Of peaceful world, and unless