The Washington times., 1921-10-12
PRESIDENT Sees
No CHANCE FOR
DISARMAMENT
Says II Conference Brings
About Limitation II Will
Have Achieved Much.
BY GEORGE X. HOLMES.
International News Service.

President Harding today sounded
the death knell TO idealistic hopes that
the Forthcoming armament conference
in Washington will attempt anything
approaching worldwide disarmament.
In the present state OF the world,
the President said. universal disarma.
ment Is beyond hope OF realization. and
| II the conference In Washington next
month effects a reasonable limitation.
we shall think great things have been
accomplished"
The Presidents views--the frank
est he has yet expressed--were given
in a letter TO Miss Ella l.. Freed, 46
Lenox road, Brooklyn, one OF tha
thousands OF persons who have writ
ten 10 the White House on the dis
armament question.
The letter was designed to correct
what the Administration believes to
be a widespread misapprehension
concerning the aims and purposes OF
the November conference.
Seeks No Unattainablo Ideal.
The Presidents second letter today
contained the explanation.
"By reasonable limitation" the
President stated. IT mean something
practicable that there is q chance
to accomplish rather than an ideal
that there would be no chance to
realize"
Before there can be universal dis
armament, the President said, there
must be a revolutionary reorganiza-
ton OF human nature, and the pres
ent time is not propitious for such
a revolution.
he text Of the Presidents letter
follows:
MY dear Miss Freed:
oeA that
came to me, suggest q widespread
misapprehension as to the aims Of
the conference on Limitation of arm
aments. In my letter of October
fifth / said to you:
"I think ought to correct
your impression about tho expec-
tation Of universal disarmament.
1t is very erroneous even to suR-
gest that we contemplate going 80
far as that. II we can ee. a rea-
sonable limitation we shall think
that great things have been ac-
complished.'
seemed to bring q message of hope
lessness' to those seeking universal
disarmament. and asked me to ex-
plain reasonable limitation.
Explains Limitation.
by Reasonable HmltatlOn
mean something practicable that
there Is a chance to accomplish,
rather than an ideal that there
would be no chance 10 realize. It
is necessary to deal with actuali-
ties; to do the best possible. I'ni-
versal disarmament would be be-
,yond nope 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 to
make universal disarmament pos.
sible. A consideration Of the pres.
ent state of the world must, l
think, enforce the conclusion that
this Is not a hopeful time 70 un-
dertake that kind of revolution.
"On the other hand. a world with
/. the horrors of recent experiences
scared into its mind. and stagger-
ing under the load of debt and
ornaments, has generously justi-
fled our hope for favorable atti-
tude toward the practical effort,
the sincere beginning, that we are
attempting. The fine spirit in
which leading nations have received
the invitation to meet and consider
tneSe tnlIlgS, Is ditORetner enCour-
aging. To undertake the irnpossi-
BILE and fail might leave our last
state worse than our first. The
attitude Of the nations warrants
confidence that we will not fail,
but rather that substantial re-
suits will be accomplished cal.
culated to lessen the armament
burden and to reduce the langer
of armed conflict. feel that in
such an effort we are entitled to
the support Of all people who
would be glad-as I can assure
you would--to see still more nc
complished IL possible.
Most sincerely yourS