Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-11-14
THE WAY TO pIsARM IS TO DIsaRM

Following the Civil War the great economic problem
that confronted the country was how to resume specie pay
ments. The nations finances were threatened. The question
of resuming specie payments was debated furiously in con-
gress and in the press. 1t was during this debate that the
famous statement was made that ''the way to resume is to
resume"
Today, following the great World War there is another
economic problem confronting not only this nation, but the
entire world. The worlds finances are threatened. The
matter is being debated in every governing body and In the
newspapers of all nations. The question today, however,
is one of the awful burden of taxation that is crushing the
people and threatening the very existence of governments.
In the general debate that has been going on over this
momentous question the one source of relief that all seem
to be agreed upon, but none seem able to accomplish is dis
armament. 1t is the cost of wars and preparations for wars
that is crushing the very life blood out Of the people. 1t re-
NAMED for the great American nation to arise to the
occasion and summon a conference OF the Powers 10 see
what could be done toward lifting this burden from the peo-
pie.
And it was Secretary of State Hughes who, adopting
that famous slogan of fifty years ago, stepped before the as
sembled delegates, gathered in response to President Har-
ding's invitation. and boldly declared that the way to dlsarm
is to disarm. He then proceeded to show how 1t was to be
gone about. He would take the battleships and battle cruls-
es now building and scrap them. This country has alfeaay
spent about 500, 10000 on these new vessels; this would
be a deliberate loss. But before these vessels can be COM
Melted If would require 5000 900, 900 more spent on them,
so that by s~crapping them now and wasting the Soo,oOo,ooo
the people would be able to save $20O,0OO,OO 600. This Is
really worth while.
Put tbe nrogram does not stop there. Mr.. Hughes pro-
nee in addition. that fifteen battleships of the second line
be taken out to sea and deliberately sunk. The proposition
goes on to the effect that not for ten years shall any OF the
Powers build another war vessel except to replace what re-
mains for each nation after the program of dlsarmlnS is
carried out.
OF course, while the United States proposes to scrap
Il DESTROY those vessels now building and many now IN
commission or tied up ready to be put into COMMISSION the
otber two great naval powers, Great Britain and Japan are
10 scrap and destroy war vessels in proportion, although the
United States, as an evidence of good faith, is willing to go a
little bit further than the rest.
The saving to the United States alone, in addition 10
The money saved on new ship construction, would amount
10 at least $3.50. 900, 900 annually for maintenance OF We
navy. Here, then, the first year would be a saving TO the TAX,
navers of this country of 100000, 900. Something well
worth while, isn't it?
II ia not surprising that this bold and definite program
~ Secretary Hughes has startled the world. There Is no
heating about the bush, no hedging, no dlckerlng. IL Is the
c,ean-cut. straight from he-shoulder American way OF 40
mo things. The way to resume is to resume. And we re-
s,,med. The way to disarm, Secretary Hughes says IS TO
disarm and he proposes a definite way to dlsarm.
The wav TO disarm is to disarm and Secretary hughes
shows the way. If there is to be no disarmament we VIII
soon know it and once the die is cast, the United States Can
nroceed with an armament program that Will soon out-dlS-
lance all the rest. The United States is in a position TO go
either wav. This nation prefers to disarm, but 1t can DO te
other if necessary. The time for a real showdown has come