The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-09-08
MEMBER DISPUTES
HOLD UP, LEAGUE
Nations Far From Uniting in
Movement for General
Disarmament.
JAPAN FLATLY REFUSES
Clash of Nationalist Interests
0bstructs Projects of
the Council.

WASHINGTON, Sept 7.--Informal in
vestigation has been started by th'
United States Government of the prog
ress being made by the nations Of thu
world in the movement for universal dis
armament.
Inasmuch as control of armament'
was made one OF the objects OF the
League OF Nations the inquiry into the
movement for universal disarmament
has developed into an investigation OF
the present status Of the armament con-
troll clauses Of the League OF Nations
covenant
Without having taken up the mair
problem Of radical and general dis
armament OF nations the League of Ma
tlons, according TO reports received In
Official circles, has begun the organiza'
ton OF machinery for solving the prob
lem Preliminary Investigations and
studies OF the league have commenced
and some subsidiary phases OF the main
problem, such as the control of the man
ufacture OF munitions and of the use OF
gas in warfare, have already been dis
cussed with o view TO reaching uni
versal agreement
Disarmament Not Considered.
Organization of the Advisory Com
mittee on Military, Naval and Air
Questions" as provided in the League
covenant for advising the council on the
means for execution Of the armament
control clauses of the covenant was
made by the League Council. according
to Official advices, in Rome, May IL. AT
that time the question of disarmament
in its broadest phase was not considered
and II was understood that 1t would not
be considered by the League imme-
diately Some of the smaller nations
Of the League pressed very anxiously
but vainly at that time, according to
the advlces, for the taking of steps look
ing to the application of the control
clauses of the covenant.
In August the Advisory Committee
on Military Naval and Air matters met
with the League Council at San Sebas-
ton. Spain, where its first agenda was.
according TO official advices, as fol-
lows:
elaboration of the regulations OF the
league as to the military, naval and
aerial forces and armaments Of States
requesting admission to the league; con-
troll of the traffic in armament and mu-
rltions; use Of poison gas in warfare and
duties Of the committee as to the event
tual exercise Of the right of the League
Of Nations to make investigation at any
time in Germany under the Treaty Of
Versailles"
AS a result OF the necessity Of seeking
American cooperation, whether within
the league or without, in any effectual
programme for the limitation of arma-
ments, the official advices reported that
early action on any scheme for universal
disarmament vas not to be expected. At
the same time the clashlng OF the ma
t.onalistic interests of many nations also
was recognized as temporarily obstruct-
irE any plans for the immediate reduc-
ton of armaments.
Advices from Japan have indicated
that strong opposition exists there
against any Limitation of armaments, as
II is asserted that Japan, on account Of
her peculiar position. is entitled to ex-
ception by other nations from any pro-
gramme for disarmament.
Inquiries from other sources have in
dicated an unwillingness on the part Of
other nations to consent TO reduce in
any way their armaments short OF the
universal cooperation Of all other gov
ernments