The Washington herald., 1921-09-02
HARDINGSAYS
LASTING
MAY NOT come
Declares 1t Is Possible to
Reduce Armament
Burdens.
u. s. NOT WILLING
TO SCRAP WEAPONS
Asserts Country Must
Not Render Itself
Defenseless.

President Harding yesterday. de-
nned the policy which will guide
the administration and its repre-
sentatives on the disarmament ques-
ton at the coming conference of
the world powers
With clarifying emphasis he dis
PEELED Utopian illusions that the
United States would enter the con-
ference prepared to scrap its weap-
ons and render itself defenseless.
Summed up the American attitude
rs stated by the President Is this;
The day of permanent world peace
is far on. The end of armed con-
ffct may never come Civilized gov
eminent may never be able to scrap
their navies and disband their
armies. Nevertheless. IL may be pos
sible 20 diminish the burdens of
1rmament
D11R - Arnanent Burdens
Aere nay never be n time with
ont the necessfty for armed forces
n every Eovernment- said the
Prsssdent \ believe with all my
h>nrt re are coming to = time when
va are going to diminish the bur
AeAs OF arnament-
The Pres5dent made this speech
II the cpening Of the fail term of
tho army War College.
he audience was made up Of two
hundred army officers who are
sboat TO enter upon the fall term
- the army War College. The Pres
E8e-t sadis
res Many TAesvisfs.
- ezn. from ny own sxperience,
remind you that IL ths War Col
lese Is the Institution which brings
tso knowledge Of experience into a
slsnd with theory. IL Is one great
S.stitution of practical value. The
t-SUble with (the world today is
hat ton many theorists know moth
ing about actuslities and have
earned nothing OF experience, and
Whoever in this life brings the wis
dom OF experience into a blend
with the teachings of theory makes
contribution to real progress"
Il do not know what ought to
b said about your profession for
The future. but men Of the army, no
matter where the best aspirations
OF the world may lead us, NO mat
ter what tremendous and gratify-
ing progress Is made, there NAV
never be q time without the neces-
sity for armed forces in every gov
ernment. believe with all nv
heart we are coming to a time when
we are going to diminish the bur-
dens OF armament think there
will be less of armies and less of
navies. wish it with all my heart,
but there never can come a time
when there is not requisite agency
for the maintenance of law and au-
thority and for national defepse
DepIores MisEo Riots.
Tt is perfectly futile to think
there may never be conflict wher
you stop to consider that in 2.00C
years of Christian civilization, and
1000 years of pagan civilization
concerning which we are informed
we have only lately come to a real
civilized state of armed warfare
and that does not apply quite to all
the nations of the world. II has
been q slow proceeding and 1 be-
lieve we of America, without un-
seemly boasting. can say We have
come the nearest to unselfish, con-
scientious warfare Of any people
In the world, and i pledge You now
you win never be called to service
during the present administration
for any war that you could not
enter with all your hearts and souls
as American citizens. Now thar
may seem to be a strange state
ment to make, but 1 want you Off
iers of the army to precede your
activities in the defense Of our na-
tional life with the insistent under
standing among people that we
must put furthest aside any posi-
BILE occasion for conflict.
Il am a firm believer that there
are two essentials to the civlliza-
ton to which We all subscribe. One
Is the understanding among men al
home We ought to have no conflict
like that which is distressing US in
West Virginia at this hour. That is
4 lack of understanding. There
should never be a conflict between
civilized nations and there will never
be IL there are men in authority
who will insist on a full under
standing first DO not know how
you viii approve, but 1 want you,
for the time being. to be the ad-
visers of an administration that
seeks for American fullness of un-
derstanding with the people of the
world. and II We have that there
win never come a time when we
win be drawn into conflict that
America cannot answer with the
fullness Of the heart and the depth
of the soul
-Gentlemen, I wish you well in
the year OF study before you and I
know L can say with all my heart
that with the aid of knowledge of
the larger aspirations which will
come TO this association and study
you win contribute in proportion to
the intelligence. the power and the
glory OF the army. which Is one
e--aeh OF American reliance for ma
-<sp2s fsfsnse.-