New-York tribune., 1920-12-23
No Peace Till Competition
i'll Armaments l. De-
stroyed,H He Says, Urging
Conference of Nations
League a Failure
Unless All Join IL
Declares 1t Beginning of
Great Idea and That
Much Has Been Done
By Arthur S. Draper

FROM The Trjbuuc's European Bureau
Copyright 1920. New York Tribune Inc
LONDON, Dec. 22-Trcmier Llovd
George asserted in an address to-day
that there could be no real peace among
nations as long as there was competi-
Non in armament, and advocated a con-
ference attended by delegates from all
the nations, where an agreement could
be reached on the limitation Of arma-
ment. His remarks were made in the
course OF a speech at luncheon given
in honor Of the Canadian, Australian
and New Zealand delegates to the
League of Nations Assembly. He also
declared that the league could not be
regarded as complete until all nations
had entered it,
Praises Work of League
The Premier praised the progress
already accomplished by the league anu
described the Assembly as the great
beginning of great idea. He said the
league was full of promise, with very
considerable measure OF achievement
"All nations must march in line Il
they are to march efFectively,' he said
Praising the work already accom-
plishcd by the labor bureau of the
league. he said probably the leagues
greatest accomplishment was the set
ting up Of an international court OF
justice.
"If there had been such an assembly
in 1914 there would have been no war, "
he asserted. "Discussion would have
made war impossible"
Owe are looking forward hopefully
TO the prospect Of the United States
coming in," he continued. Its pres
encc is essential if it were only for ono
reason. There were many problems of
the league discussed, and discussed
fully, by the Assembly. They were not
problems that they have solved; you
cannot solve questions in the course
OF three or four months discussion !;
not even the House of Commons could
do that with the aid Of the House Of
Lords, but real progress was made.
But there is one problem in which
one feels that progress was not made
and I don't think progress can be made
in this until all the nations are in the
league, and this problem is the one of
disarmament. There will be no real
peace among nations-and there is no
use pretending there will be-as long
as there is competition in arnaments
There is no use on the one hand
of celebrating great pros poets for AL
association of nations to establish
peace and on the other hand projecting
great armies to force other nations
into competition in that terrible race
OF armaments which had more to dc
with the World War than almost any
other individual cause.
Before disarmament is possible all
nations must be in the league Nations
cannot take the risl, Of disarming until
they know that other nations are do
ing the same thing. We can do it to-
gether. We can do it by agreement
You cannot do it secretly; you cannot
do it under a cloud. 1t must be done
in such a way that everybody knows it
so that when an agreement is reached
the nations can respect it.
you cannot have Britain doing it or
France doing it and America not doing
it. On the other hand, you cannot
have America doing it and France OIL
Great Britain or Japan not doing it
All the nations must march together
and therefore it is vital that before
the League of Nations can effectively
achieve its aim all nations must be
represented and all nations together
must come to a common agreement
that they will not start this pernicious
and disastrous rivalry in armamentS
which will end inevitably in a crash
unless it is arrested"