The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-11
Frederic Haslkin's Letter
Wo,ne, and Disarmament.

Washington, d. c., April "a
women's World Disarmament com
mittee. which is bent on putting the
disarmament question before the
people in mass meetings all over
the United States, is the latest po-
litical activity Of women 70 get
under way here. 1t will BE- watched
with interest because, aside from
the importance OF the subject 1t has
tackled, 1t will show what the
women can do in the way Of nobil-
izing public sentiment.
The women are in favor Of dis
armament. Further, they believe
that the great mass Of the people
are also in favor of it. They be-
lieve that when the people are
shown how much armament costs,
and what might otherwise be done
with the money, the people will be
still more In favor Of disarmament.
In a word, their object is to clarity
the sentiment in favor Of disarma-
ment and make 1t evident to con-
gress.
Whether one favors disarmament
or not, it can scarcely be denied
that this move to stimulate public
discussion Of it is a good one. II
the argument in favor Of competi-
tive shipbuilding is the best one it
will doubtless win.
In the past, peace and disarma
ment have been urged on the
grounds Of sentiment, with many
illusions to windows, orphans and
wounded. The new organization
talks statistics, with the idea of
showing that neither this country
nor any Ohter is in shape to spend
millions OF dollars on battleships
that in a year or two may be obso-
lete.
The committee is composed of
women all over the country. It is
entirely a women's group because
the SO women who started it in
Washington found that while
plenty of men-big business men,
politicians, financiers-were will
ing to endorse the project, they
were not willing to be publicly
lined up as adherents-not until
the demand for world disarmament
is we'll established. Senator Borah
Of Idaho and Representative Frear
of Wisconsin, however, agreed to
speak at a mass meeting to discuss
! disarmament
| The great expense Of maintaining
the main arguments set forth by
a militaristic government is one of
the main arguments set forth by
the women's committee. 1t holds
that a large percentage of the peo-
Fple want this expense cut, that the
people in general do not want a
militaristic government, but that
big army and navy programs con-
tinue to be planned because the
people 90 not make their senti-
ments known. What the committee
expects to do is to hold mass meet
ings and conferences and interest
people in letting their congressman
know what they think about disar.
mament.
To Fight Navy Bill.
I'VE are concentrating on the
naval appropriation BILL" says Miss
Emma Void, chairman for the Dis
trict Of Columbia, because the
naval bill will be one Of the most
important matters before congress
when it convenes this month. There
are only three nations with formid.
able navies-England, Japan and
the United States OF the three
this country Is the only one thai
can continue q big building pro
gram without bankruptcy, and We
can afford it only by giving up all
ideas OF progress in education, road
building, sanitation, and peace time
science. We hear nothing but how
the country must retrench in Its
expenditures, and the only place
to retrench when an army and navy
are being built up Is to cut down
q few thousand here and there or
education and science instead Of
adding few thousand to meet the
demands OF ordinary progress
That is what it means when W
economic.
England has cut down on hel
naval building. Japan is buildins
In feverisn sort of attempt to keel
the United States from entirely out
distancing her. Neither nation ha.
the funds to put into battleships
and the United States can raise The
funds only at the expense OF pro
gress and by heavy taxation tina
must grow heavier as we continue
!, Right now there is proposed {
tax on everything that Ia bought
not just on Injuries. but proper
tomato tax on pins and needles
chairs, coffee and everything els,