The New York herald., 1921-11-21
Newspaper Clippings and
Editorials Flood Arms
Conference.
WOMEN UNIT FOR BAN
Nothing Must Be Left Undonc
to Reduce Horrors of War,
They Contend.

Special )esocf. to THE NEw YORK HERALD.
Few York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Nov. 20.
Although it was advanced by THE
New YORK HERALD only four days ago,
more than one hundred men and
women of high official standing and
r-oogn.zcl ability have joined in the
, = 0~A that the proposal for the abo-
lition o. lhe submarine be placed be-
fore the delegates to the arms con-
ference. That the growing sentiment
for abolishing the submarine event.
ually will bring the proposal before
the conference is regarded as certain.
Newspaper clippings and editorials
showing the development Of public
sentiment in favor of the idea now
are flooding the conference headquar-
teers through the American advisory
committee. Ultimately the plan must
reach the eyes and ears Of the Of
fetal delegates themselves through
Secretary Hoover's section Of the ad-
vistory committee. The Hoover section
was appointed to keep the American
commissioners conversant with the
trend of public opinion in the United
States during the conference.
That the abolition OF the submarine
would require an amendment to the plan
for a ten year naval holiday put before
the conference by Secretary Hughes is
not taken to mean that the proposal will
not receive consideration.
The Hughes programme provided for
the use of certain tonnage Of subma-
rine craft by this and other nations
purely as defensive ships. American
naval officers. who helped frame the
Hughes programme. regard the subma
rine as a weapon Of defence that is es-
sential to proper balancing Of the Amer
lean naval forces. Yet very many men,
bers of the naval committees of the
House and Senate have declared for the
abolition of the undersea craft.
II would abolish completely the use Of
submarines" said Chairman Thomas S.
Butler of the House Naval Affairs Com
mittee. Mutual consent by the great
nations will be necessary to outlaw the
sub. If this cannot be accomplished
there should be an international agree
ment prohibiting construction of sub
marines that can cruise more than 200
miles from their bases. This would
practically prevent the use Of the sub
marine for anything except defensive
and would insure against its use as a
weapon of slaughter as in the great war.
Delegates to the arms conference are
under a world obligation and are re-
sponsible to humanity to take every step
in their power to minimize the horrors
Of war"
There is no doubt where the women
Of the country stand on the question OF
the elimination Of the submarine. An
International agreement prohibiting its
use under a universal rule of warfare
would have their enthusiastic approval.
II should hail it with JOY" Mrs. Irvine
L. Lenroot. wife OF Senator Lenroot OF
Wisconsin, said to-day. ct would have
an even better effect in my Judgment
than the scrapping Of the battleship."
Mrs. Lenroot IL the president of the
Congressional Club, the membership of
which includes the wives and daughters
OF members Of the Senate and the House.
Her opinion that the United States
should place itself behind any move
ment designed to outlaw the submarine
is shared by Mrs. Harry S. New, wife of
Senator New of Indiana.
"The object in calling the conference
on the limitation of armament was not
only to limit armament but to reduce
the causes OF war and to mitigate so far
as possible its horrors" Mrs. New said.
ANY suggestion made by any country
through its delegation furthering such
objects, and especially any movement for
the elimination Of the submarine. should
have the support of the United States.
Certainly any step toward the outlawing
of such horrible weapons Of warfare as
the submarine and poison gas would be
| In line with the hopes and desires of the
United States"
Mrs. Charles Sumner Bird of Massa-
chusetts, one OF the four women men,
bers of the advisory committee to the
American delegation, said II should be
glad to see all such horrible weapons
done away with"
That was also the attitude Of Mrs.
Harriet Taylor Upton OF the Republican
National Committee and Mrs. Maud
Wood Park. chairman of the National
League of Women Voters.
''I know more about political subma-
rines than naval ones" Mrs. Upton said.
II don't know that submarines are any
worse than poison gas or Zeppelins. but
/ hate all such things and I am for
peace and for everything that makes for
peace"
THE conference Is like a bridge being
built to lead toward peace" Mrs. Park
said. For the details of the building
we must trust to our representatives,
hoping fervcntly that nothing will be
left undonc that will reduce 70 mini
mum the possibility OF wars and the
burdens and horrors of warfare as We
have known Il in the past"
Would Have IL Outiawed.
Mrs Mabel willebrandt. Assistant At
torney-General. believes that while the
United States could not consider giving
up the submarine while any other nation
| continued to use II. the United States
certainly should further any movement
to outlaw It completely as weapon OF
warfare.
II certainly believe" said Mrs. Gif-
ford Pinchot, that the submarine, II
retained at all. should be limited to
purely defensive use"
Nothing could be more illogical. in the
opinion OF Mrs. w. T. Burch, than for
the United States to defend In any
! degree the use OF the submarine.