New Mexico state record., 1921-08-05
WILL BRING BIG
MEN To CAPITAL
DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE IN
WASHINGTON TO BE EVENT
OF VAST IMPORTANCE.
NAVAL REDUCTION is FIRST
Some Nations, Like France, May Be
Chary of Cutting Down Their Land
Strength - Something Like New
League May Result.
BY EDWARD B. CLARK.

BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.
Washington.-Thed disarmament con
ference in the city of Washington, Il
be held some time IN the fall will
bring together an extraordinarily in
terestinS group Of men which may in
clude Lloyd George, the premier OF
Great Britain, and BRAND. the pre-
mier of France. 1t will be the first
time that conference of such world
compelling interest has been held In
the United States.
There seems 10 have been some
misunderstanding about what disarm-
ament means, the kind of disarm-
ament which Will be discussed at the
Forthcoming meeting of the representa-
tives of the five great countries asso-
ciated In the war. The first matter TO
be dealt with Will be naval disarm-
ament, for II is recognized that so far
as some of the countries of the world
are concerned, safety lies in the lack
of means of other nations to send
troops TO their shores On mischief
bent.
The reduction of armaments on land
probably will come in for secondary
consideration and action, but so far
as some countries are concerned any
decrease In the land forces is Il matter
of high moment This is particularly
true Of France. 1t is known already
that, while France is willing to enter
into a disarmament conference, Its
representatives will be charged with
the duty of seeing 10 it that nothing
is agreed to which will jeopardize the
safety of the country by laying 1t open
10 man power attack from the East.
France for years lived in the shadow
of the German menace, and today II
does not want to re-enter that shadow,
nor does il want to enter into new
shadows cast by armies which might
be raised in land farther East than
Germany, armies which would be
moved by "A power bent on imposing
anarchlc conditions on the rest of the
world.
Russian Conditions important.
,ouullloilo III iNuN0ld, IItStHl anu
future, necessarily must be taken into
consideration by the conferees when
they assemble In Washington. Coupled
with the Russian conditions are con
dtions in the lands south of Russia
where today matters are chaotic. The
Russian plus the Turk plus some other
peoples seemingly are recognized by
western nations today rs holding pos
sibllities of trouble for the higher civil
iZation. The disarmament conference
will have hundred and one things
To consider in connection with the
main proposition of cutting down ar
maments and relieving the peoples of
the earth from their heavy burdens of
expense.
One of the troubles which will con-
front the conferecs will be what may
be called comparative disarmament
Under existing conditions in the world
II is probable that one nation, for self
defense purposes, must be allowed to
maintain Il greater war organization
than will be allowed 10 some other ma
tion. How much of an army will
France need for strictly defensive pur
poses, and how much Of an army will
the United States need for strictly de.
fensive purposes? These questions can
he multiplied TO meet conditions In
every land. Some difficulty will be
met in supplying the proper answers.
one thing seemingly is recognized by
governing officials Of the nations which
are 10 be parties TO the Washington
ment toward the peace Of the world
is under way Leaders of all political
parties in Washington seemingly are
at one in appreciation of the plan.
viii Society OF Nations Result7
In the matter Of the beauty of dis |
armament and general peace. there |
never has been n party line drawn in |
the capital. The same thing unques-
tionably is true Of the country at large. |
Political leaders have disagreed as TO |
the best means TO bring about disar-
mament. but today there seems to be
general rejoicing that the big nations |
at least are willing to do so much as
10 get together to talk things over.
Ii is altogether too early yet, even
10 discuss the chances that Ou' of the
conference will come something like
an association Of nations. or, If the
term is preferred, something like
league of nations. OF course, If ther~
is a general agreement reached. t.ie
very fact that there is an agreement
will make Of the countries which are
party thereto a kind of association
of nations.
There will be men who will say that
IL is a league, and men who will say
that it is not n league, for the viewpoint
depends entirely upon the position
which men have taken in the past
upon the efforts Of the last administra-
tion TO form league and the apparent
efforts of the present administration
TO bring the nations together into some
kind of agreement
Taxes Before Tariff.
The house Knows when II will vote
on the tariff. The senate has no idea
when II will vote on either taxation or
the tariff. The prospect seems to-
NIL TOMS MULBERRY TREE. 4