Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1921-08-25
General Reduction Of Military
Forces Essential.
WOMEN SEEK DELEGATE
League of Women Voters Ask Hard
ing For Representative on Disarm-
ing commission-Assail Miss Rob-
ertson.


Washington. Senator Lodge, of
Massachusetts, the senate Republican
leader, named by thespresident as one
of the American delegates to the dis
armament conference, declared In the
senate he would exert his best efforts
for a reduction of armament, but
'sthere must be general reduction by
all nations.
Senator Lodge expressed his views
after Senator Harrison, Democrat, Mis-
sissippi, had offered an amendment to
the 100000 appropriation item for ex-
penses of the conference, which would
direct the American delegates to de-
mand open sessions.
81 will not change my views" Sen
ator Lodge asserted, "but there must
be general disarmament-a general re-
duction. / shall do everything in my
fee to which the president has done
me the honor to name me- Nobody will
labor harder than | for reduction, but
shall insist upon general disarma-
ment
s'In saying this l am simply reiter-
ating what + have said over and over
again. One great reason for reduc-
ton is it means great economy. ! hope
also 1t promises peace. Reduction or
armament means the greatest possible
reduction in expenditures and money
saving for the people"
Senator Harrison asserted in naming
Senator Lodge the president had select
ed one who had done more to postpone
disarmament than any other person
because Senator Lodges flight for the
reservations which killed the League
Of Nations"
Senator Borah should have been
placed upon the American commission,
Senator Harrison added. as "the man
who has done most to crystalline pub
Lie sentiment for disarmament"
Later, In discussing the need Of gov
eminent economy. in connection with
the good roads bill. Senator Lodge
said:
Eve have cut down with great sever
ity the appropriation for the army
and the navy, which regard as alb
soiutely necessary expenditures for
any government which means TO pro.
tect ITSELF against dangers witch may
come to any nation. We have cut the
army below q point which seems to me
SAFE We have cut the navy down to
such point work on necessary ships,
such as battle cruisers and the air
plane carriers, either has been stopped
or siackened.
"Thts Is exactly like a man who
economies BY giving up his insurance
whether on his house or on his life.
think these reductions for our army
and our navy have been carried too
far already, but to cut down the ma
val appropriations $1OO,OOOOO0 below
what Is needed to complete, In rea-
sonable time, our building program,
and give up such navy as we should
possess under present conditions, is an
economy of the most dangerous kind"
Leaders of the League of Women
Voters requested President Harding to
appoint woman on the American
delegation, to speak not only as rep
resentative of the United States, bu
in the name of women everywhere.
The delegation distributed at the
White House bulletins assailing Repre-
sentative Alice Robertson, of Oklaho-
ma, who has taken the position of a
woman qualified to sit in the disarma-
ment conference would be hard to find.
Mrs. Richard Edwards, of Peru,
Ind, first vice president of the league,
said she regretted "the newspaper
prominence being given woman of
Miss Robertson's type" who 'fortu-
nately in no way represents women,
Though she sits asathe only woman m
congress"