Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-09
THE CRY FOR PEACE.

Every Evening has received the fol
lowing interesting letter from tn,
State chairman OF the women's Com
mittee for World Disarmament:
June 5 was Disarmament sum
day" A letter from General
Tasker Bliss, who served through
the World War and was. later a
member of the Peace Conference,
was read from many pulpits
throughout the country. General
Bliss urges all Christians in
America 10 insist on the Presi-
dents calling a World Conference
on Disarmament without delay.
General Pershing adds his indorse-
ment.
I do not think We realize what is
being done in Washington. Con-
gress proposes to spend over five
hundred million dillars on new
warships. Our navy came through
the war with comparatively. little
damage. Small, swifts submarine
destroyers were unquestionably
the most useful vessels we had.
Now some politicians are deter
mined to build a number OF un-
wieidy battieships which take
three years TO build, forty million
dollars apiece to pay for, and ten
minutes to sink with torpedo or
air bomb.
Out of every dollar collected by
the Federal government, Con-
gress spends 6s cents for past
wars. IS cents on getting ready
for another war, and only { cents
for all other purposes. Educa-
ton gets only one cent.
How much. longer are we going
TO stand this7 It is two years
and half since the armistice:
President Harding has been in
office three months; Congress has
been in session since March II.
In April, President IfS-ding
promised TO call World Confer
ence on Disarmament 'as soon as
possible after peace is declared"
At that time he said he expected
the declaration OF peace ain about
three weeks"
America should lead the way 10
World Peace and World Disarma-
ment- If we sincerely believe
this we should write today TO the
Hon. L Heisler Ball and the Hon.
Josiah o. Wolcott. United States
Senate; 10 Hon. Caleb r Layton,
House Of Representatives: TO
Hon. Charles E. Hughes, Secre-
tary of State. and TO President
Harding. Public officials should
know directly from their constitu-
ents what they feel on grave mat
ters of national and LOCAL interest.
Surely our correspondent knows
y now that the average politicians
Tord is writ in sand. and washed away
y the frst adverse tide which laves
he shore. Who wants peace, mad
me, save Mary and Martha, whose
ons fight the battles? War agrees
nth many persons. Although we
ought a war to end war, although
;e poured our blood and our trea-
ure into the quieksands of time, yet
are being made for fur
ler conflicts.
Do you not know that Mexico is
sing watched with greedy eyes, There
oil there, madame. and silver. and
Il the riches Of the Incas. waiting
,r our exploitation. Has not theg agi-
alton continued for years--agitation
lade BY the men who seek TO profit
fter your sons have fought there.
nd taken the land for them?
There is Japan, controlling certain
-orid trade routes. The chip is all
eady on our shoulder. and ii viii re-
uire but breath for it TO fall, and
n the call TO the colors 10 be sounded
! every hamlet in America. So far
MS country has never fought an
noble war; bur II looks as though we
re destined to do that in the near
lture. The League Of Nations offers
preventative for wars-but then you
lrst remember that the League was
ut through by one woodrow Wilson,
ated by most armor and munitions
lakers, and by many Republicans
ow in power. You mustn't expect a
roup OF Republicans to want eter-
al peace. when thsir henchmen and
Importers profit largely from war.