The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-04
J. s. INVITED ID
 HAVE DELEGATE ON
 ARMAMENT BOARD
Would In No Way Commit America In Opinion Finally Put Forward In Report
 Says Communication
By Associated Press


 Washington, December 3.-The invi- the United States name delegate 10 1t in a consultive capacity with the league commission on armament, was received today at the state departm ent. Officials there said the government had not yet come to decision on the ques- sion.
 The text of the invitation from tle league follows:
 The council of the League of Ma tions acting on a unanimous recom- lmendation of the permanent military, naval and air commission of the league, passed at it's meeting in Geneva on No- lvcmber 25 invites the government of the United States to namD repres enta- tives to sit on the commission on Iconsultative capacity during the study by the commission of the tues ton of the reduction of armaments a study which the council has requested the commission to undertake forth with. "The permanent advisory commission was instituted by the council of the league at it's meeting in Rome last May and held it's first session at San Sebas- tian in August. The commission is at ,present composed of the military. na- val and air forces of states represented in the council of the league. It's de- cisions are purely advisory, and not in Iany sense binding, but they represent the common technical judgment of the |experts of many countries.
 WOULD NOT COMMIT U. S.
 "It would of course, be perfectly un- ha of "a (resentative of the United States would in no way commit the American gov Iernment in whatever opinion may be finally put forward in the report 1f tEe commission. Nor, indeed can that re- port itself be more than basis -or the consideration by the members of the league of the measures of reduction in armament which united action may en- able them to achieve.
 Nevertheless. just as in the case of the financial conference at Brussels, the presence of an American represen- ta'tive, whose function was only that lof giving and receiving information, 1 was an important factor in the success of the work of the conference. so that lit cannot be doubted that the general consideration of the subject of the re- duction of ornaments will be gr satly
 facilitated if the government of the | represented in q similar manner at the meeting of the permanent advisory lcomm ission.
 The problem is one to which public opinion in all countries attaches the highest importance.
 Tt is unnecessary to point out that
 the reduction of armament is essential 1 for the well being of the world ard unless some measures of relief can be found by international cooperation -or
 the excessive taxation due to arna- ments, the general economic situation must become increasingly worse.
 The council in extending this invi- taton cannot but hope that the gov- ernment of the United States, particu- 1 larly in view of the attitude of Amer | ica towards the question of the com petition in armament will not refuse 1 to associate itself with the gov srn- ments of the members of the leas ie in | beginning the preliminary work ne ,es- sary for ultimate success and to lend to the present effort an assistance which can in no way encroach upon it's own perfect liberty of action"