Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-02
NY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

ment, TOBIAS been proposed 1or ehe
cations as a real step toward per-
manent international peace. Ioday'
with the world suffering from eco
aomic results of the most disastrous
war in all history. the proposal Is
6eing put forward probably more
seriously than ever before. The peo-
bles Of the nations are bent unoer
huge burdens of taxation due to the
var: the revenues of the nations are
needed to pay their war debts and
10 build up their productive indus
tries. Yet. in the face of this SUI
fering, the preparations for future
wars 60 merrily on.
The Hague Cepferenee.
when the first peace conference at
The Hague was assembled. in 1888
at the call Of the late Car Nicholas
Of Russia, the question given most
prominence of all in the call was
that of reduction of ornaments. 1t
is q matter Of history that nothing
came Of it. At the second peace con-
ference at The Hague, in 1897. reduce
ton of ornaments was given little
consideration, and at the time set Tor
the third peace conference at The
Harue, 1915, practically the whole
of Europe and q large part OF Asia
was At war, with the western hemi-
sphere soon to be drawn in.
Ceasreas Of vienna.
The need Of putting an end to wars
an far as possible usually strongly
impresses itself upon the people OF
the nations following long periods
Of disastrous warfare. 1t happened
after the -Napoleonic wars. when the
congress of Jenna undertook to
brir!S about permanent peace through
an establishment of = balance OF
power and various alliances. At that
time Priace Metternich. Austrian Dip
lomat and statesman, submitted a
memorandum on disarmament as a
meanS for further advancing the
cause Of world peace. The question
really was raised nrst by the Prince
Regent Of England. and it was given
much attention by the governments
of Russia and Austria The idea OF
the prince regent was. that an in
fsfnattsAal eonferenee be called. COM
posed Of men Of military knowledge.
VIA powsf - set. 70 determine the
normal basia IN times of peace for
the armies Of the various powers.
The RpssiAn government welcomed
the idea. Emperor Alexander of
Russia urots to Lord castlereagh in
ASS:
1T IL necessary. that this disarma-
ment be e6ecteA with the same agree
meat and striking loyalty that has
decided the safety OF Europe. and
which alone can today assure its hap
piness."
Austria took the plan under serious
lsiderstion. In this connection 1t
mn be mentioned that 1t was led to
do1so particularly because Of the de-
blorable state of its finances, but the
financial situation Of the nations of
Europe in those days was easy COM
pared with what it is today.
MetfeFnteA's aHensranAam.
Prince Aetternich. in his memoran-
dunn ON the subject Of disarmament.
pointed out that = very large army
pseeenta Q considerable danger when
IL 10 maintained for the purpose Of
preserving domestic order. because 1t
exhausts resources which are indis-
pensable for q wise administration Of
tho people This danger" he said, ''is
particularly great At the present time
(1s1S). when armies themselves are
imbued with revolutionary ideas and
given to aspirations which cannot be
realized without overturning the ex-
listing order Of public affairs"
The Austrian chancellor saw no fur
Their use for enormous armies at q
time when the great powers of Europe
had definitely fixed their territorial
limits by common agreement, and did
In the face of such a disposition "on
the part Of governments" he held,
armies of excessive size can only
provoke the danger and fear of a
breach of the peace of Europe"
The efforts at disarmament or re-
duction of armament in 1916 came to
naught- Whether this was RESPONSE
Europe that came not so many years
later. it Is impossible to say. 1t is
certain, however, that armies con-
tinued to grow and the peace vanished
when the nations got good and
ready"
ERsrts Of Napoleon HI.
Naoo1eon TIT ~ Erauce directed af.
tention to the failure of the negotia-
lions at Vienna in 1915. in his letter
addressed to the sovereigns Of Europe
in 1863. This letter was a remark
clio document designed to obtain some
kind of An agreement from the pow
ers to limit and reduce ornaments.
If the situation in the different
countries is carefully considered"
said Napoleon in this letter, 1T is i'm
possible not to recognize the fact that
tho treaties of Vienna have been de-
stroyed. modified. ignored or attacked
At nearly every point. AS q result
We have duties without Law. rights
without title and claims. without
bounds. A danger moro to lie feared
10 that tho improvements brought
about by civilization. which has
bound people together by the
solidarity Of material interests. would
make war still more destructive" He
proposed 'to settle the present and
insure tho future through the convo-
cation of a congress" But this move
for disarmament also came to nothing