The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-26

Washington, D. c., Aug. Is
Must international war cease be-
cause the common man Will no
longer put up the money necessary
to carry it on?
That is the real question which
the Washington conference on dis
armament and international hnance
will consider. There is some nope
of results from this conference De-
cause it approaches the question
of war from new angie.
There have been efforts to abol-
ish war since before CHRIST, ana
all of them have failed completely.
Rulers and men OF wealth have al
WAYS wanted wars in order to in
crease their power and wealth.
often most Of the people want war
too. A war may be a great ma
tional calamity. but it is also a
great national emotional debauch
and shakeup. Our participation in
the World war was just that. Many
were killed and manned, but many
others had a good time, or made
money, or saw the world, or gained
a new point of view. 1t is useless
to pretend that wars are desired
only by the men in power who
make them. The excitement and
change which they afford is often
craved by the common man as
we'll, even though he bears all the
cost and takes all the risk.
But the cost and the risk are al
ways becoming greater, and the ex-
citement less. Our participation in
the war was slight. We did not
feel the full weight of it The
Europeans did. Burdened with
taxes, most of their young men
dead, the European peoples see
themselves headed straight for
more war They know that they
cannot pay the cost of more war
either in life or in money.
That is the meaning of the dis
armament conference. The politi-
cal powers of the world have call
ed IL because they know there is a
demand for it They know that the
common man, who does the fight
ing and pays the bills, is in
striking mood. The control of war
has always been in his hands, and
never could be in anyone else's.
ANY time that he refuses to fight
there cannot be a war. ANY time
that he refuses to pay there can
not be a war. And he just now
has a belIyful Of both lighting and /
paying. Therefore the political
and diplomatic gentlemen will meet
here to decide among themselves |
Just how much they must concede
to this new mood of the common
man. The result of the conference |
really depends upon him. He is
public opinion. If public opinion |
remains steadily against high taxes
and heavy armament, the politi- !
clans will have to make some con- /!
cessions. But if public opinion gets |
excited about the national animos- |
tiles which will be aired. if its ma |
tiona1 risibilities are stirred when |
the Georges and VivianiS begin I
hurting defiance at each other, then !
the great disarmament conference /
will be one more Hague tribunal, /
which accomplished no more for |
world peace than a sewing circle. |
War Debt a Striking Figure.
Statesmen of various nations |
from time to time have expressed |
the view that nothing would be &C
toward universal peace
until the nations Of the world were
90 poor to support big armies and /
lavies. That time has arrived now |
When the delegations to the con-
ference called by President Hard
ng meet in Washington in Novem-
per, nations will be represented
having an aggregate debt of $685.
700, 900, 600. That debt will be the
greatest figure at the conference
able. I
AS a matter of fact, some of the /
great military and naval powers of
he earth are proceeding already !!
N the assumption that the confer
,nce will succeed in its aims, and
ire cutting down or hating their
and naval programs. Re
liable information has reached
american officials that Japan has
lalted work on her new naval con-
truction. Great Britain has re-
uced her force of marines from
I 600 to about 1900 and reduced j
er naval personnel to 100000 9th /,
T nations are following their ex-
IMPLIES to a greater or less extent
Conferences on the subject have y,