, 1921-08-04
PREREQUISITE TO DISARMAMENT.

The eoncensus of opinion of those who have drawn
lessons from the European war is that if the world
Is again to see war, it will not be fought with the
Implements used in the late war for the destruction
Of life and property, but that chemistry will play the
sll-important part
The Manufacturers Record discussing the disarma.
ment question, takes this feature into consideration
when it says:
"A prerequisite to disarmament is a complete and
sef-contsined chemical industry in the United States.
Every Important nation on earth. except the United
States and China, has an embargo on importations
of dyestuffs- Italy attempted protection by means of
tariffs, and her domestic dye industry was over
whelmed in a night. She was compelled no later
than June 3 to reverse her entire policy and embark
on a drastic program of licensing under an embargo
system.
"Why have the great nations with such remarkable
unanimity determined that they must have within
their own borders their own complete chemical in
drstry? The answer is obvious. The memorable laws
of economy have made disarmament for most nations
an absolute necessity. The cry OF the ta,@-iddan
the world over is a prayer for relief, and the United
States which is alone financially able to endure the
burden, is preparing at considerable risk to heed that
prayer by taking part in and fostering a program for
disarmament Disarmament is essentially a declara-
ton of willingness on the part of the United States
to confidc the protection of its vast interests to the
good faith of the world-to surener the absolute de.
tense which 1t is capable of sustaining because it cher
ishes a hope that thereby it may change the current
OF human practice and introduce into international
affairs a new principle OF faith and fair dealing.
but there is no nation in all the earth SO civilized
that maintenance of a police force can be avoided.
There is a criminal instinct in some men and in some
nations. Despite all treaties and all pacts, all I'M
derstandings of aIy kind, they may spring up
some new highwayman, lured by the sight of
loot 1t is conceivable. therefore, even at the risk in
volved, that we can surrender perhaps some actual and
positive armament, but we must not and will not give
up power to arm in case of emergency. There is
but one way in which this reserve for defense can be
maintained, without cost to the taxpayer, and that is
by fostering of the chemical industry in the United
States. Every dye plant is a potential munitions
factory. Every dye plant can be converted within "a
hours to use for the national defense,
"If every other great nation possesses a complete
chemical industry and the United States possesses
none, or only a small one. the ease with which we
could be subjugated would be a constant temptation
to others. We would, indeed, by our complete de-
fenselessness. be encouraging the other nations of the
earth to violate their pleges and look for excuses for
war. The next war, if there is one, will be a chemical
war. Without a chemical personnel we should be
defeated before we started. There is no soldier
who does not know this; no diplomat that does not
use it."