Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-11-30
ONLY ONE STEP.

AS attention is directed to the work Of the arm
anlent conference, and to- the subject OF war in gen
eral. it becomes more and more evident that, while
such limitations as have been proposed will consti-
tute a step, and a very important one, in the direc-
ton Of peace and general human welfare, they will
be only one step. and there must be progress in 9th
er f1eids before the world is surely rid of war.
The limitation of naval strength is a relative
" simple matter. Navies cannot exist without phys
ical structures OF great size and enormous cost. 1t
takes a long time to build a battlesl1ip, and the work
cannot very we'll be done in secret. Ships cannot
be built inland. They must be built in yards on
suitable %harbors, and all who are interested inNkeep-
ing track OF such things know where such yards
are possible, and could know at once when steps
were taken to build anything so bulky as a battle
ship. IT certain nations, therefore, agree to limit
their building in accordance with stated plans, any
violation OF the compact could quickly be detected
by their neighbors and appropriate steps could be
taken in time.
This is not true OF land armament. A nation
may surreptitiously train its men for war without
actually appearing to do so. 1t can manufacture
guns and munitions on a considerable scale and keep
its activities secret. From the standpoint of pub
lic1ty. therefore, the army question is a more diff
cult one to handle.
America and Great Britain have armies of only
nominal size. France has and must maintain for
some time an army Of considerable size. Japan JUS
titles her maintenance OF a considerable land force
on the ground of need to protect Japanese who have
settled on the continent. Plans for army reduction
are going to be difficult to devise.
But aside from naval and army organization,
we have in the chemical and aerial fields two de-
partments in connection with which no nation can
torce an agreement as against another because VIC
lations in these departments can be committed in
such a manner as to DEFY detection.
Our own chemists have perfected gases of such
power that whole cities could be depopulated by
them in a matter of hours. We need not suppose that
the chemists of other countries have been idle.
Doubtless they have knowledge of gases Of equal
power. These deadly gases can be prepared any
where on short notice. The nation which chose to
embark on such a course could have a supply of gas
bombs ready to use immediately following, or per
haps preceding a declaration Of war without others
being the wiser.
) Air craft are relatively cheap and may be con-
structed easily and quickly. The vast development
OF the airplane for commercial use in such a man
ner that they can be transformed into bomb car
r1ers on short notice is a mere matter or detail. Here,
again, there is no way of enforcing an agreement, if
any should be made.
Limitation of armament where limitations can
be enforced or violations may be detected in time
to render them futile is excellent in itself and for it's
moral effect, but it is not final. There can be no
perfect security until conditions which may be pro-
~vocative OF war are removed, and until the popular
hatred Of war which is SO prevalent and SO vocal
just now has SO crystallized that it has become ex-
pressed in the attitude of all the important govern
of nations has reached the determination to discip-
just as Our more limited national and municipal So
ciety disciplines individuals whose pugnacity makes
life miserable. for other people.