The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-08-15
Disarmament Conference.

II would that the world entering
period of the supremacy of economies. The
approach has been slow. 1t will be remem-
bered that wise declared before 1914 that
there could be great because OF finance.
No country could undertake it, because could
finance il. But "yAccuse" tells how the banking
mountain and shown all the glories OF conquest
and the wealth of the world in their control They
.fell and war was the consequence.
The Franco-Prussan war was a hint that in
these modern days. the victor in a war is
"a loser. The great war has absolutely proved that
,ths is true. 1t is known now, to the wilfuly
e, blind, that war can bring gain real advantage
ito no one. Even neutrsls suffer. Its folly is
D.. written 50 large, is supreme that il has sunk
into the consciousness of men of all walks of life
No bankers will ever again expect advantage from
war. No economists will ever again be made to
believe that national gain can COME that way.
The masses of men will never be deceived BY the
picture OF its glories. for defense by fhe
plea OF patriotism. -
In his lead to the formal invitation to the
disarmament conference, Secretary Hughes stresses
this very situation where he SAYS: at is idle to
look for stability, the assurance of social JUS
tce the security OF peace while wasteful and
unproduetive OUTLAWS deprive effort Of its just re-
ward and defeat the reasonable expectation of
progress. The cost to victors, vanquishcd and
neutrals OF this war is so staggering that pre-
paTedhess for next war is overwhelming The
common sense and conscience OF the world re-
rgolts against next war" and say there shall
be none. More than this it is recognized it is
known that armament next war and
.nsthfng else.
When Lord Bryce said in a recent address
-. IL
he was mistaken There before was a really
International public opinion that agreed upon any
subject There is now and it is against
next war" and demands complete hating of
ornaments because this is the inevitable forebear
o! war. 1t is judgment based on economics and
ECONOMICS has become the language OF nterna-
tonsl thinking. The rock upon which the league
OF nations founders is that it is based on mill
,tarism instead of economics. The covenant is
written in now dead language it will have to be
rewritten in that Of today, and fact, it is being
construed il written and its value is develop
ing through that Interpretation.
The keynote of Secretary Hughes note to
tho powers, is economics. 1t is the term mos.
used. 1t is recognized the only basis OF settle
ment Tor the problems be discussed 1t is plain
Iy stated that there is hope of disarmament ex-
cept. through the removal OF causes OF misunder-
standing" and finding ground for agreement as
10 principles and their application" These causes,
grounds and principles recognized as economic
IN opposition, il not opposition to those which are
military and which have controlled in the past
II has been evident for a half century or more
than conquest can no longer be the result of war
ECONOMIC reasons, the interests of those not di-
,rc9R concerned in the war. have influenced il
not dominated the settlement of every war in the
past century, until it is recognized that a
victors gains will not be measured by the old
rule-that possession is nine-tenths, let alone the
whole The strongest factor for peace between
the Greeks and Turks is their common knowledge
that it matters little in the final result which il.
victor.
II IS not mere guess that the study Of wars
IN the schools will no longer be that of military
achievement, OF battles and campaigns of the
killed and the advance OF armies of military glory
and persons, but OF economic causes and results
When this comes, it will, the maturing
minds will but follow the present command of
international public opinion based upon interna-
tional consciousness. 1t is this international pres
sure which is centralizing upon the coming dis
armament conference to make it in fact peace
conference.
Secretary Hughes. it is announced is de-
termined to get results He will get them not
because others who will sit around the table with
him, are now OF like mind with him, but becaus.
he will have the support OF a world of men and
women who have said as the French at Verdun.
that war preparedness must not pass that the
ugly face of the next war" shall here meet it's
Nerdun; that economics must rule and that the
square deal, not war, must decide all differences
There are very Jew who are radical protec-