The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-01-19
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY
ASKS DISARMAMENT
LETTER ADDRESSED TO PRESi-
DENT-ELECT ON VITAL AND
ABSORBING SUBJECT
Philadelphia, Pa, Jan. IL, 1921.

Philadelphia, Pa, Jan. IL, 1921.
Warren G. Harding, Marion, Ohio.
Dear Friend The people of the
United States are vitality interested IN
the amount of taxes they will be call
ed upon to pay during the years that
lie Immediately ahead. The items
that enter into the national budget are
therefore Sof more absorbing interest
now than perhaps ever before. Nearly
GO per cent of the budget as it stood
shortly before the end Of the last fis-
cal year was G. the payment
of charges incurT he conduct OF
recent and previous wars, and nearly
25 per cent to. the expenses OF the
war and navy departments. In all,
therefore, a total of nearly SO per cent
was devoted to past war and prepare
ton for possible future war. We can
not shake off our liability for obliga-
tions incurred in the past, but we can
resolve not to assume the intolerable
burden OF armament competition in
preparation for another conflict. There
has already been striking evidence
that the common people are increasing
ly demanding relief from the appall-
ing cost Of modern warfare.
The great conflict left no more prob
lem than that Of making future wars
impossible. The colossal destruction
Of life and property, the vast sum
Of human suffering involved in war,
the danger that another conflict may
destroy our very civilization itself,
have all turned mems mind a. never
before, toward the goal Of information
al peace and good will. Statesmen and
leaders are striving to attain it. The
masses Of people everywhere long for
its realization. The most practical that
step in the direction of peace and good
will is the reduction of national arma-
ments.
Major General Tasker H. Bliss, in
a remarkable address recently deliver
ed in Philadelphia, referred to the doc
trine of increasing ornaments, here
tofore adopted by other nations:
"The application of this doc
trine," he said, seems to have
tendency it is true, to reduce the
frequency of wars. But the nl-
innate result is inevitable The
pent-up, dynamic forces Of the ma
tons reach point of tension at
which resistance ceases and then
comes an explosion which rocks
the world to it's base"
"Those are mistaken he states
"who may think there can be an
enduring and effective association
Of the nations for the maintenance
of peace so long as those nations
are armed to the teeth solely
against each other. And those are
mistaken who think that, so long
as the present military system ex-
lists, there can be any peaceful in
ternational court Of arbitration"
We are convinced that these state
ments are profoundly true, and there
fore heartily endorse and urge upon
the favorable attention of the execu-
tive and legislative branches of our
government the two proposals that
have been put forward looking to-
ward the reduction of ornaments:
First That this country shall enter
into an agreement with other nations
for so-called naval holiday and re-
frain from new naval construction for
a period Of years.
Second. The even more fundament-
al and important proposal so convinc-
ingly presented by General Bliss, that
this country shall take the lead in a
movement looking toward a world.
wide reductino of armies.
Financial considerations alone are
sufficient to justify these proposals.
But far more fundamental is the avoid
ance of future war. May the United
! States embrace to the full, the won.
derful opportunity to lead in a move.
ment that is dictated by humanitarian
and Christian considerations, and up.
on which the continuation of our civ
ilization may depend.
On behalf of Philadelphia Yearly
Meeting of the Religious Society OF
Friends.
WIN. B. HARVEY,