Evening star., 1921-11-12
Continued from First Page.)
consider the question of the limi-
tation Of armament.

Soisluer the question OF the limi-
tation Of armament.
Far Eastern Questions Press.
This, however, does not mean
that we must postpone the exami-
nation of far eastern questions.
These questions of vast impor-
tance press for solution. 1t is
hoped that immediate provision
may be made to deal with them
adequately, and it is suggested
that it may be found to be entire
~ practicable through the distri-
button OF the work among desig-
mated committees to make prog
reSS TO- the ends sought to be
achieved without either subject
being treated as a hindrance to
the proper consideration and dis
position of the other.
THE proposal to limit arma-
ment by an agreement of the pow
ers is not a new one. and we are
admonished by the fuulity of
earlier efforts. 1t may be well
to recall the noble aspirations
which were voiced twenty-three
years ago in the imperial rescript
of his majesty the Emperor of Rus
sia. It was then pointed out with
clarity and emphasis that the
intellectual and physical strength
of the nations, labor and capital
are for the major part diverted
from their natural application and
unproductively consumed. Hun
dreds of millions are devoted to
acquiring terrible engines of de-
struction, which. though today re-
garded as the last word Of science,
are destined tomorrow to lose all
value In consequence of some fresh
discovery in the same field. Ma
tional culture, economic progress
and the production Of wealth are
either paralyzed or checked in
their development.
Moreover, in proportion as the
armaments Of each power increase,
so do they less and less fulfill the
object which the governments
have set before themselves. The
economic crises, due in great part
to tho system of armaments a
foutrance and the continual dan
ger which lies in this massing Of
war materials, are Transforming
the armed peace of our days into
pies have more and more difficulty
in bearing. It appears evident,
then, that if this state of things
were prolonged it would newt
ably lead to the calamity which it
is desired to avert and the horrors
man shudder in advance. To put
an end to these incessant arma-
ments and to seek the means Of
warding off the calamities which
are threatening the whole world
such is the supreme duty which
Is today imposed on all states.
Russia Called Hague Meeting.
1T was with this sense Of obliga-
ton that his majesty the Emperor
of Russia proposed the conference.
which was to occupy itself with
this grave problem and which met
at The Hague in the year 1899.
Important as were the delibera-
tions and conclusions Of that con-
ference. especially with respect to
the pacific settlement Of interna-
tional disputes, it's result in the
specific matter OF Limitation of
armament went no further than
the adoption Of final resolution
setting forth the opinion that the
restriction of military charges,
which are at present a heavy bur
den on the world, is extremely de-
sirable for the increase of the ma
terial and moral welfare of man.
kind and the utterance of the
wish that the governments may
examine the possibility of an
agreement as to the Limitation Of
armed forces by land and sea, and
of war budgets
"It was seven years later that
the Secretary of State Of the
United States, Mr.. Elihu Root, In
answering note OF the Russian
ambassador, suggesting in outline
a program of the second peace con-
ference, said: The government Of
the United States, therefore, feels
it to be it's duty to reserve for
itself the liberty to propose to the
second peace conference, as one of
the subjects for consideration, the
reduction or Limitation Of arma-
ments, in the hope that, If nothing
further can be accomplished, some
slight advance may be made to-
ward the realization of the lofty
conception which actuated the En-
peror of Russia in calling the first
conference =
'It is significant that the Inn
perial German government ex-
pressed itself as absolutely op-
posed to the question of disarma-
ment,' and that the Emperor Of
Germany. threatened to decline to
send delegates II the subject Of
disarmament was to be discussed.
y In view. however. of the resolu-F