The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-12
CAN'T HAVE
ARMAMENT
ABOLITION
World Disarmament I'm
possible, Undesirable,
Harding Writes.

Washington, Oct. 12-United
Press. )-Universa disarmament is
impossible and even its desirability
now is questionable, President Har-
ding said today.
The presidents view, which
makes it clear the American delega-
ton at the arms parley will seek
only limitation of armament, was
stated in emphatic terms in letter
made public by the White house to
stem growing propaganda, mostly
well-intentioned-for complete abo-
lition of ornaments.
The letter, made public simultan-
eously with the assembling of the
American delegation to the disar-
mament conference here today. was
addressed to Miss Ella Freed, 46
Lenox Road, Brooklyn, New York,
who had written the president urg-
ing him to work for complete dis
armament
@Beyond Realization
Universal disarmament would
be beyond hope of realization" the
president answered Even its de-
STABILITY at this time might well
be questioned"
Hundreds of letters have come to
| the White house urging Harding to
insist that armies and navies the
world over be wiped out by the con.
! ference.
This propaganda, Harding be
lieves, is arousing false hopes
which cannot possibly be realized
and which if insisted upon might
wreck the conference
President Harding's reply to {
! letter Miss Freed wrote Oct 5, de-
! clared for reasonable limitation. ,
( She replied that this letter seemed
! to bring message of hopelessness'
I to those seeking universal disarma-
ment, and asked him to explain
! what he meant by reasonable limi.
! tation."
Pace Facts, Not Ideals.
by reasonable limitation" the
/ president replied, 81 mean some
thing practicable that there is &
chance to accomplish, rather thar
| an ideal that there would be nc
! chance to realize. 1t is necessary
to deal with actualities; to do the
/ best possible.
Universal disarmament would be
beyond hope of realization; even its
desirability at this time might well
! be questioned. Thousands of years
| of history recording the wars and
| controversies of mankind, suggest
! that human nature would require
| revolutionary reorganization tC
| mako uDjynrSoI diSo rr, onap+ poc
| sible.
Outlook Encouraging.
"On the other hand a world with
the horrors of recent experiences
scared into it's mind and staggering
under the load of debt and arma
ments, has generously justified ouI
hope for a favorable attitude to
ward the practical effort, the sin
cere beginning, that we are attempt
ing The fine spirit in which lead
ing nations have received the invi
tation to meet and consider thes
things is altogether encouraging
To undertake the impossible an,
fail, might leave our last stat
worse than our first The attitud
of the nations warrants confidenc
that we will not fail, but rathe
that substantial results will be &C
complished, calculated to lessen tn,
armament burden, and to remov
the danger of armed conflict. l fee
that in such an effort that we ar,
entitled to the support of all peopl'
who would be glad-as l can as
sure you l would-to see still NOR,
accomplished if possible"
Hits Press Propaganda.
Harding also took occasion toda!
to depIore the use of newspapel
propaganda in a letter to Governor
Harrington of Hawaii. to be read a
the Press Congress of the World
now in session at Honolulu. His
letter also expressed the conviction
that it would be hard to imagine
tustifications in this day and age
especially in view of the worlds
late unhappy experiences, for armed
conflict among civilized people"
l