Great Falls tribune., 1921-12-06
Washington, D. G., Dec. Tina,

Washington, D. c., Dec. 1.-That
all of the disarmament so far dis
cussed at the conference amounts te
no more than an agreement among
quarrelsome men each to throw away
an antiquated blunderbuss which be
has in his hand while keeping two
loaded automatics, hand grenade and
a dose Of strychnine in his pockets, ts
the way one observer describes the
| situation here to date.
The two most deadly instruments OF
human destruction so far discovered
poison gas and the airplane-have not
even been discussed. The proposal 80
far is merely to scrap a few capital
ships which win probably be aobsolete
before the next war gets under way
anyhow.
OF course, the real business of the
conference is to try to reach some
settlement Of the troubled questions
in the far east, which are almost sure
to cause war in a few years unless
adjusted. There are some signs of
progress toward such an adjustment.
But it is pointed out that the whole
pretension toward disarmament is fu-
tile unless more effective program
than the present one is evolved.
France, next door neighbor Of it's
ancient enemy, Germany, has served
notice on the world that it has no
intention of reducing its land forces to
q point where there could be danger
Of successful attack from its pros
trate enemy, once it is on its feet
again.
England, Japan and the United
States discuss the ratio their navies
shall bear to each other. A serious
mul1ing over of this aspect of the
situation occurs when it is proposed
that the American and British ships
shall be matched in strength, with
Japan having three capital fighting
ships to every five in the American
navy. A counter proposal is made
that the ratio shall be seven to ten.
How About Poison Gas7
Whatever the final conclusions on
the number Of superdreadnaughts and
battle cruisers and the matter OF land
forces, under arms or in the reserve,
for all nations, it may mean very little
unless effective means can be devised
to put check on chemical and aerial
warfare for the future.
Chemical warfare was employed on a
large scale in the world war for the
IiTSC Time. JuE, 1lTSL uSeU Uy Tie u0E-
mans against the Canadian troops, was
developed rapidly by both sides, while
defense against gas attacks was rushed
When the armistice was signed, the
war was 55 per cent chemical, accord
ing to military authorities.
The airplane became a tremendously
factor before the war was
over. Planes for all sorts of war uses
were developed, ranging from the small
speedy scout and combat planes to the
slower, heavier bombing planes, and
the like. Defense against aircraft at
tacks has never reached the effective
ness Of defense against other forms Of
fighting. The anti-aircraft gun is
highly useful, Of course, but the best
defense against the enemy flyers when
the war ended was other flyers to drive
them off or bring them down.
The trouble with curbing chemical
warfare is that the plants which would
be of tremendous military value in war
can be canouflaged into chemical
plants of the most innocent looking
sort during eras Of peace. 1t is dis
closing no secret to say that the chem
ical experts Of all countries are hard
at work now experimenting and devils
ing new and awful combinations, capa-
bic of results far beyond the most de-
structive engines of war yet used.
The whole world sat up and took
notice recently when commercial
.hemical plant in a little German town
,lew up. Some explosive SO powerful
hat INT is mild by comparison not