The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-08-31

American people, VINO are pleading
for reduction Of expenditures and
begging for international disarma-
ment? Shall we continue to blindly
chase the delusive phantom of mill
tary and naval supremacy until
America is bankrupt or the world is
again wrapped in the throes of de-
vastating war?
This Congress is appropriating APP
proximately $5OO,OOO,OOO for the Navy
alone. A large portion Of that amount
is to be used in the construction of
vessels that will be obsolete before
they are completed. Recent demon
strations have proved that they can
easily be destroyed from the air, and
the war has taught US that they are
practically helpless before the sub
marine. Besides, it might not be amiss
to ask against whom we are preparing
to defend ourselves, that these vast
burdens of expenditures are so vitality
necessary. Is it Germany? No;
Germany is whipped, helpless, bank
rupt, and her navy is at the bottom
of the sea. Is it France, our recent
ally in the World War, whose friend
ship we have enjoyed since the form
alton of the Republic? Certainly not!
France has no inclination to fight
America, and even if she had, she is
neither physically nor financially able
to carry on such contest. Is it En-
gland or Japan? If so, then the more
reason why we should adopt this dis
armament amendment, authorizing
the President to call a conference of
America, England, and Japan to form
ulate plans for international disarma-
ment. England and Japan are both
anxious for such a conference, and so
are the American people. For it is APP
parent to every rational mind that if
we continue the present contest in
naval construction, the burden of taxa
tion will soon become so heavy that
the peoples of the earth will be I'M
able to pay the bills
They told us that we were fighting
the war to overthrow autocracy, to de-
stroy miIitarism, to make the world
safe for democracy What is auto
cracy? What is militarism, that
hideous demon that it has just ex-
hausted the manhood and the re-
sources of the world to subdue? There
can be but one answer 1t is large
standing armies in times of peace, to-
gether with the abnormal naval and
military establishments that go with
them. And these, Mr.. Speaker, are
more dangerous to real democracy in
the countries in which they exist than
all the martialed powers of ruthless
war.
We may not bring about universal
or a universal reduction
of ornaments by the adoption OF this
but we can at least blaze
the way and prove to the world that
America is in earnest in her advocacy
of universal peace and that she has no
desire to become the dominant mill
tary or naval power of the age. Ameri-
&c is today the most powerful Nation
of the earth, and the people of every
land are expecting her to lead in the
onward march of civilization. Let us
not disappoint them, but let us, by
vote of this House, in adopting this
demonstrate to the world
that those American boys who went
down in The recent conflict, fighting
to bring about universal peace, have
not shed their blood in vain.
By the adoption of this amendment
America will take one colossal stride
oward the grandest achievement in
he annals of the human race, the at
ainment of worldwide, universal,
honorable, and profitable
,eace; as the immortal Henry w.
irady once said, Blazing out the path
md making clear the way up which
II .he nations of the earth must come
n Gods appointed time"