Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-11
TO SEEK
I. D|SARMED WORLD.
tan. Tasker n. Bliss Pleads
Against War at Forum on
: Peace Conference
HAS BRILLIANT AUDIENCE


tbe Lcagnc Of Nations. the United
States should at once. in the opinion OF
Major General Tasker H. Bliss. invite
tbc nations OF the world TO conference
10 consider the immediate limitation Of
ornaments. the stoppagc Of the manu-
facture Of war materials above a certain
,mount. and the gradual abolition of
the things that bring about the mcnac.
OF wars,
General Bliss expressed this opinion
In no uncertain terms at the first Of the
fifteen meetings of the PUBLIC LEDGER
Forum on the Peace Conference, held
last night in the foyer of the Academy
OF Music. The speaker. who was not
only among the highest military Of
fcials of the United States in the war,
but was one Uf the five .plenipoten :
| fairies at Paris. made an earnest and
| elooucnt plea against the possibility Of
any such world conflagration in the
tuturc.
"If the nations will take the first
step of coming together" he said,
"some solution ought not to be very diff
| 6cut.
-Four Of them are still armed to the
teeth on land and sea, each in fear Of
what the others may do to nations from
which they themselves have no fear and
We are arming for fear that this may
be a menace to us.
you are mistaken IL you think there
rsn be an enduring peace among the
bations so long as they are thus armed
to the teeth against each ether. Why
phould not the United States take the
lead in n definite proposal and demand
kbc reasonable limitation Of armaments?
Who can do it better than we?
1T lies with you whether we shall
lake this momentous step. We will be
recreant in our duty TO humanity il
We do not take it and take It now"
In developing his idea Of applying
limitations only to armies and not to
sea forces. General Bliss undoubtedly
surprised his audience. but he brought
Il forth with convincing logic in the
course Of his main speech and in his
answers TO questions afterward.
II was evident that he had in mind
Che nsuperable objection of Great Brit
ain to any interference in her trad-
tional naval policy for the protection Of
her world wide dominions and her com.
mcrce. But he claimed that the very
discussion of the naval question was "A
block 10 tho first step in disarmament
and that it was not vital question
anyhow.
No ConQuests by Savies
u would have no restrictions on
naval forces or on land Notifications, "
he said The consideration of this is
block to the very first little trembling
stcp. Put it out of the way. There /.
no danger Of an international world
war resulting from it,
''Thc largest navy in the world never
conquered any territory. They had to
have an army to do II"
General Bliss outlined tho concrete
propositions that he would have the
United States make to the nations OF
The world. They we're:
To agree on a date for the abolition
"i any military system which rs solely
necessary in international war.
Ia agree on n date 10 begin tho
gradual reduction Of armed forces until
they arc placed at tho limit necessary
for internal order.
To agr"" on the proper amounts Of
Uar materials to bc kept ou hand.
10 cease the manufacture Of war
material until tho amounts are reduced
to what is considered necessary.
The limitation Of land arms is the
fundamental thing" he said "Ex :
pcricncc has shown that we cannot de :
pend on honor To prevent an outbreak
il ha, become increasingly difficult for
ono nation to maintain neutrality. II
has hccom" necessary for hclligercnts
TO put neutral on short rations until il
can cNcap" the many hardships only by
joining on" sid" or tho other.
In future tho horribcncSs Of war
will hc "QUalcd only by the horrible e
ness Of m" injustice that results from
It,
Every woman who can knit sock
every farmer who can handle a pIow,
every mcrrhant-all now arc soldiers
Their labor is Communicated by tho
government, Tho tendency is TO abolish
Tho distinction between combatants and
nOncomhatants.