The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-05-28
UNDERWOOD AND HEFL|N DISAGREE
 ON DISARMAMENT
One Would Have Country Stop Navy Programme as Exam ample, While Other Would
 Lead Way By Building
By HUGH w. ROBERTS Washington Bureau The AEe-Herald
 800 Davidson Building

| Washington, May 27.--(Special.)- The Senate of the United States has de- cided that the most effective way in which to bring about disarmament is for the United states to arm so thor oughly that 1t can force the other great powers of the world to enter an lasrecmcnt gradually to abandon their construction programmes.
 Every member of the Senate appar- ! ently favored disarmament. It was agreed that two ways were open for the achievement of that result The one was to arm this nation so thor oughlv that it could practically force an agreement to disarm. The other was for this nation to disarm and thus set an, example for the remainder of the world to follow.
 The first method was adopted by ,he Senate. There is no question but that Senator Underwood, the democratic leader, was responsible. With him, he took IA democrats But for his stand, these IA democrats would have encom- passed che defeat of the administra- tion programme.
 Significant Statements
 Senatoi Underwood, in the beginning of his argument made two preliminary statements, which were regarded as significant. He declared that he would support the administration when it was right. or rather that he would not op- rose the administration simply because 1t was republican. Secondly, he de- clared that in his judgment, he would not be swayed by the consideration of of mental expenditures when the cost Of oNernment in this era reached into the billions
 The Alabama senator gave full credit to those Americans who took the posi- tion that if the United States could not secure an agreement on the part of the nations of the world to disarm the United States should, nevertheless, dis arm. He referred to the advocates of such policy as men who cherished the christian ideal in government But he continued that the christian ideal had proved impractical; that the United States, on other occasions, had set the example, and no other nation had fol- | lowed suit
 HefIin Disagrees
 1 An interesting fact in connection with the general debate, especially as 1t concerned the two methods by means of hich it was contended that general disarmament could be brought about, was that the Alabama senators diff tered. Both spoke their differences and voted their differences Senator Underwood took the position that the United States, by example, should serve notice that if the world did not agree to disarm. the United States would maintain the building pace and thus be prepared for any emergency Sena- tor Heflin took the position that the Limited States should set the example I to tha contrary, and thus show the world the excellence of failure to pre- pare for war, no signs of which could be discerned in the clements
 Said Senator Underwood: "It is ar gued by many that if we want to dis arm, and the world wants to disarm We must show the world the way by d.sarming ourselves. That is a chris. 1 tian theory It would be a correcr theory of the true principles of chris tlanity beat In the hearts of all men. But for half century we practiced the theery that we wD tic disarm. Be- lore the spanish war we had only 25.- coo men in the army, and a navy that even second-rate power would no, fear; and yet the great nations of tho world went on bling up their arma- ments and the burdens of war indebt- edness.s Our theory failed.
 Alternatives Stated
 Today we stand tt the dividing of the roads. There is no use in halfway doing this thing. We are only fooling ouIs selves and trying to fool the nation when we say we will cut off $10o. 900. : ooo when the general cost runs into the billions. We must either stand for peace by not preparing for war, or we must stand for peace by making a war preparation that those who carry the knife of war il, their teeth will have reason 10 fear. Petty economy in this piil does not appeal to me. If we are going to have peace by disarmament II We are going to bring about the peace of the world by establishing the principles of disarmament, let us dis arm. Strike out all the pages Of this bil that relate to new navy. But if We lack the courage to go that far lei us not fool ourselves or attempt to fool our constituencies. If we are stilI |