The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-08-18
WILL BRING BIC
MEN TO CAPITAL
DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE IN
WASHINGTON TO BE EVENT
OF VAST IMPORTANCE.
NAVAL REDUCTION IS FIRST
Some Nations, Like France, May Be
Chary Of Cutting Down Their Lana
Strength - Something Like Nc"
League May Result.

Chary Of Cutting Down '"e'' -a"o
Strength - Something Like Nc" ,
League May Result.
BY EDWARD B. CLARK.
Observation-Disclosures disarmament COLI
ference in the city Of Washington, TO
be held some time in the fall, VIII
bring together an extraordinarily in
teresting group Of men which may III,
clude Lloyd George, the premier u
Great Britain, and BRAND, the pre-
mier Of France. 1t will be the nrsl
time that a conference of such world
compelling interest has been held Ill
the United States.
There seems to have been soll'o
misunderstanding about what dlsar'n'
ament means, the kind OF dlsarln'
ament which will be discussed at '''e
forthcoming meeting of the representa-
tives of the five great countries asso'
ciated in the war. The first matter u
be dealt with will be naval dlsarlh'
ament, for it is recognized that SO lai
as some of the countries OF the WORM
are concerned, safety lies in the lacA
of means Of other nations to sehu
troops to their shores on mlschlet
bent.
The reduction of ornaments on lahu
probably will come in for secondary
consideration and action, but so 1af
rs some countries are concerned any
decrease in the land forces is a matter
Of high moment. This is particularly
true Of France. 1t Is known already
that, while France is willing to enter
into disarmament conference lls
representatives will be charged with
the duty Of seeing to 1t that nothing
is agreed to which will jeopardlze the
safety of the country by laying it open
to a man power attack from the East
France for years lived in the shadow
of the German menace, and today II
does not want to re-enter that shadow
nor does it want to enter into ne"
shadows cast by armies which might
be raised in land farther, East thah
!, Germany, armies which would Dc
moved by a power bent on imposing
, anarchic conditions on the rest OF the
world.
J. Russian Conditions important.
1 Conditions in Russia, present anc
future, necessarily must be taken into
consideration by the conferees WheI
. they assemble in Washington. Coupled
with the Russian conditions are con
ditions In the lands south OF Russl'
/. where today matters are chaotic. I'M
= Russian plus the Turk plus some othe
q peoples seemingly are recognized D.
q western nations today as holding pos
4 sibilities Of trouble for the higher civil
4. ization. The disarmament conferenc
II will have a hundred and one thing
a TO consider in connection with tn
ID main proposition Of cutting down al
"a maments and relieving the peoples 9
ID the earth from their heavy burdens
ty expense.
ia One of the troubles which will col
front the conferees will be what ma
be called comparative disarmament
" Under existing conditions in the worl
% it is probable that one nation, for sci
II, defense purposes, must be allowed
81 maintain a greater war organizatlc
Ia than will be allowed to some other n
IN tion, How much Of an army WI
20 France need for strictly defensive pu
nd poses, and how much Of an army vi
in the United States need for strictly d
Of fensive purposes? These questions CT
be be multiplied to meet conditions
ID. every land. Some difficulty will
met in supplying the proper answer
One thing seemingly is recognized
lal governing officials Of the nations viii
Ior are to be parties to the Washlngt
en- conference.-the the first real NOV
Ias ment toward the peace Of the wol
en-. is under way. Leaders Of all polite
nj. parties in Washington seemingly
'ge at one in appreciation Of the plan.
viii Society Of Nations Result7
lab In the matter of the beauty of d
Of armament and general peace, tn
Of never has been a party line drawn
ma. the capital. The same thing unQu
lip tionably is true Of the country at lar
Political leaders have disagreed as
the best means to bring about dis
'al' mament, but today there seems to
en' general rejoicing that the big matte
tne at least are willing to do 50 much
ana to get together to talk things over
IAN. 1t Is altogether too early yet, e.
lelo to discuss the chances that out Of
re- conference will come something
an association Of nations, or, If
term is preferred, something like
mas league of nations. OF course, If tn
SAT. is a general agreement reached,
'nsi very fact that there Is an agreem
inc will make Of the countries which
ma q party thereto a kind Of associa'
Of nations.
,,rr There will be men who will say
q It Is q league, and men who will
,ent that it is not a league, for the viewp
hree depends entirely upon the posi-
icu,. which men have taken in the
urse upon the efforts Of the last admins
=. t,on to form league and the aDpa