The Colorado statesman., 1921-07-09
WATTS FOR
OTHER To BEGIN
DISARMAMENT, 1T is BELIEVED
IN WASHINGTON, MUST BE
BY AGREEMENT OF ALL.
AMERICAS 'FEELERS' ARE OUT
Replies to Secretary Hughes Informal
Inquiries Eagerly Awaited-Mear
while Man Is 5usiIy Devising Ne"
Weapons Of Warfare.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

Washington.-It is apparent that
the administration believes dlsarm-
ament depends upon "the other tellow'
Judging from the temper of congress,
and from the editorial expressions OF
the newspapers of the country, there
is a fixed belief that disarmament ana
agreement must be companions III
other words, that the nations together
must dlsarm If great navles and great
armies are to be cast away.
1t Is believed In Washington that
as soon as the Borah resolution call
ing for naval disarmament confer
ence between the United States, Great
Britain and japan was introduced
the President called on the state de-
partment to feel out not only Great
Britain and Japan on the subject, but
other great nations as well. IL Is
probable that before long Secretary
of State Hughes will have something
definite to report to the President on
the matter.
There is recognition in official cir
cles in Washington of the fact that
the United States is divided into two
camps on the subject of disarmament !;
one of them, the larger camp, being
that of what the officials call the ra-
tionals. and the other, the smaller but
still powerful camp, of what they call
the irrationals. The nationals, ac-
cording to the Washington viewpoint,
are those who want disarmament TO
come by agreement among the nations
of the world The so-called irrauon-
ais are those who want the united
States to scrap its navy and disband
its army no matter what the other
nations may do. This course natural
ly would leave this country open to
any possible enemy who thought that
the time had not yet come to throw
its rifles on the Stag pile.
Making New Warfare Implements.
In the meantime man everywhere is
travelling along the lines of invention
of new implements of warfare, or OF
those which lead into the field of the
making of implements which will rem
der present implements of warfare
obsolete.
Within a short time there will be an
attempt on the part of the air service
of the United States army to prove
that airplanes quickly can put battle
| ships out of commission, and there
fore that hereafter the whole course
of naval construction must be changed.
The navy officers say that their ships
| can keep out of the way of all the air
planes, and not only this, but with
guns on their own decks they can pre-
vent the approach of the air hawks.
Moreover they say that planes
launched from their decks can help in
the work of keeping the air enemy at
distance.
AT the time of the other experiments
the chemical warfare service will try
to prove that its weapons are just as
effective against ships as they are
| against land forces.
Awaiting Replies to "FeeIers."
SO it is easy enough to see that,
while disarmament is being discussed,
the nations of the world are not stay
| ing their hands from the work of in
venting new and deadly contrivances
to put their fellow men, who happen
| to belong to other countries, out of
the running. The recognition apparent
ly is complete in all countries that, If
| disarmament is to be fact and the
| invention of new and more deadly
weapons of war is to be brought to a
srandstin, there must be complete
agreement among all the powerful ma
tions to disarm and to check the in
ventors in their work.
Washington is awaiting with intense
interest the replies to the disarm-
ament "feelers" which the State de-
partment has put out. There have
been hints from various sources that
Great Britain and Japan may be will
ing to sit at n disarmament confer
ence. and of course it is known that,
if these nations agree, others probably
will be willing to agree. a disarma-
ment conference would be in the high
est sense peace conference, for, If
real disarmament comes, the nations
that want to fight will have to do it
with stones, clubs or fists, and such
scraps are not particularly deadly.
Tariff Bill Slow in Making.
Congress- as the country knows, is
moving slowly along the lines of tariff
| legislation. II was believed early last
| spring that. because of the seeming
Indifference to the subject throughout
| the land, the law makers could go
ahead and frame their new bill with
| out delay and without much objec-
| tion, and have it ready for the pres-
| Dental signature at an early date.
This belief has changed.
Wien hearings on the various sched-
ules were being held by the ways and
mems committee of the house of
representatives. the lack of interest
In the general tariff subject by some
of the greater American industries
| was remarked upon. There seemed
to he feeling throughout the country
that the schedules In the bill were
in, ,,.n,.