The Cordova daily times., 1921-02-02
CONCRESSMEN THINK LEAGUE
 ICBIC FAILURE
BY COL. WINFIELD JONES

of Nations is practical failure as a preventive of war, the only other all formative is not new league or "As- sociation of Nations," but rather dis armament, if not complete, at least partial
 Japan's spokesman has announced that his country could not reduce its naval program, because the Unit ed States is increasing it's navy and preparing to reorganize it's national guard. The answer to Japan was plain. It was spoken in the senate by Senator Borah, whose resolution is to the effect that Japan, Great Britain and the United States nego- tiate for a 50 per cent reduction in their ornaments. Senator Borah's proposal is fair to all three nations. It is fairer to Japan and Great Brit ain than to the United States simply because if needed the United States can outbuild Great Britain and Japan combined in naval construction. Such proposal shows that this republic is a sincere believer in peace, and is willing to meet all nations more than half way in disarmament. Let us see if Japan and England are equally sincere, and if both or either will agree to the Borah resolution. The Borah resolution is a test of the sincerity of the other two nations.
 The Borah resolution, while meri. torious, and while it has the benefit of being proposed at the very time when the Geneva League of Nations is unable to prevent the European wars now raging, is not timely from a practical political standpoint be. cause the national administration of the United States is to change within a month.
 The solution directs the president to enter into negotiations with the two nations with view to a 50 per cent reduction in the afmaments of these nations and the United States. If President Wilson should take Mir. Borah at his word, and the senate pass the resolution MT. Wilson would begin the negotiations probably at the time when only a brief period would thereafter elapse before they would have to be abandoned or sus- pended because MT. Wilson would be leaving the White House. In the midst, or at any rate, the beginning of the discussion America's spokes- man would have to surrender the powers of the chief negotiator. This would leave to MT. Harding an unfin- ished negotiation which perhaps would have been conducted up to the time which it fell into his hands in manner not satisfactory to thesH Hard ing administration.
 It might tend, and probably would, to commit him to policy swhich would seriously affect his whole ad- ministration and which could well prejudice the cause of international conciliation.
 For these reasons it is entirely probable that the senate at this ses- sion will take no action on the Borah resolution. If none is taken Senator Borah will re-introduce the resolution at the beginning of the next congress, when it will become purely a Hard ing matter.
 It might be mistake, believe many members of congress, for only the three leading naval powers to agree to cut their navies and armed forces one-half. Many other suspicious na- tions might and probably would re- gard such an arrangement as a sort of secret treaty between the three great powers aimed at them. Second rate powers might begin to increase their armaments for fear of this very thing. For this reason alone it is considered doubtful by diplomatic rep resentatives of some powers stationed in Washington that Japan and Great Britain would welcome suggestions along the Ines of the Borah resolu- tion.
 It is we'll known in Washington that practically every nation in the world that is able to fight is now arming and preparing for possibly another war. The debt owed the United States as result of the World war, more than ten billions of dollars, instead of being paid, or even the interest being paid, is being used in large part to finance these war like preparations. In other words it is United States money that is ac- tually being used by these nations to prepare for another Armageddon, if such should again be precipitated by the jealous and fighting nations on the continent Of EnrOnn TIndar c,,nh