The New York herald., 1921-11-14


not more than 5000 tons. fifteen knots
In all three countries. Men who make a
profession of arms will be reluctant to
see their sublimated toys, their super
dreadnoughts and their battle cruisers.
sent to the scrap heap. The psychology
of the situation Is easily understood.
They will look upon II as sacrilege. In
this country the militarist group Is not
so dominant, but in England 1t has "A
commanding voice; in Japan it is the
last word.
New York Stats Zeitung-Once again
the world has set her heart upon Amer
ica, as she had done before, only to be
bitterly disappointed. Shall the world
again be subjected to this cruel fate?
A new ray of hope shines into this
world of chaos from Washington-from
Washington, from where alone salvation
may come.
The disarmament programme an
nounced by Secretary Hughes and
backed by President Harding comes like
a bolt from blue sky. And this
bolt will. II signs do not fail. set the
world aflame with a new idea that will
regenerate mankind. For this American
programme Is not a simple proposal for
the limitation of armaments. it is a
concrete. feasible. practical and liberal
proposition for actual disarmament. 1t
provides for the scrapping Of half OF the
navies of the great world Powers and
for the cessation of navy building for a
| period Of ten years.
! II remains to be seen what reception
will be accorded the Washington pro-
posal on the part of the other Powers.
That It has very favorably impressed
the delegates present at the opening OF
the conference is most gratifying fact.
Our Government, however has addressed
not only the assembled representatives
Of the Powers but the nations of the
world. In the words of President Har-
ding, There must be, there shall be,
the commanding voice Of a conscious
civilization against armed warfare"
| Boston Herald--The Secreatry vio-
lated all the precedents of diplomacy.
He cast aside all the elusive methods Of
old time negotiators. Never before at
an open session has a programme been
stated with such astonishing frankness,
such utter and open completeness.
The outlook is for optimism. Can
! Japan and Great Britain withhold their
essent? We like to think that. inspired
| by the same idcalistic vision and moved
| by the same arguments as are we, they
! will agree to undertake the splendid SER
! vice to mankind that 1t has been the
! high privilege of the United States to
| propose.
Boston Post--The American proposals
are magnificent in their bold simplicity.
| They mean actual and radical reduction
/ In armament, not a play upon words. We
! advise all to examine them carefully,
for thus only will he know what his
country desires and what 1t is willing to
do. Whether to be baffied or
to triumph. the cause OF the limitation
OF war machinery. the most costly in
the world, has at last a hearing. Every
American should feel thrill OF pride
that here In his land. called together
by his Government, the experiment Is to
| be made.
Cley,innd Plain Derlcr--Some time
and somehow the insane extravaganza
! OF the nations in their competition of
war equipment must stop. The pyramid
ing cannot so on forever. There Is q
point beyond which 1t cannot be car
| ried. America believes 1t Is wicked
folly to permit this monstrous competi-
tion to be carried to the ultimate limit
IL believes that now Is the time to stop.
Mr.. Hughes voiced the sentiment OF all
true Americans. But he did much more
than that. With pedagoglc denniteness
but with unfrIlled vigor he laid down
| the precise terms of plan by which
| tho sentiment of tho people can be
! translated into effective action. This
was what made the Secretary's speech
one of the most notable utterances of
modern times.
| Detroit Free Press-If well begun is
half done then the world has the right
To hope for great things from the WASH
! ington conference. President IIardinc
l -
teal keynote when he uttered the phras :
"'r all simplicity, In all honesty and n
all honor" while Mr.. Hughes. astonish-
fig even the most expoctant AMI utterly
topfounding the croakers, gave the start
pY a punch that is new In world states
manship.
We hear much of using diplomacy In
business. The American Secrt tary of
state has put business IN diplomacy.
Briefly. Mr.. Hughes presented vc
theory that the way 20 stop oppressive
raval armament building is to quit talk
ing and arguing and stop.
Chicago Tribune-The United States
offers TO destroy a large number Of it's
battleships II Great Britain and Japan
viii destroy certain number of their
ships. Thereafter there shall be no
building for ten years. and after the ten
year holiday there shall bo building only
for replacement of twenty year old ships.
Upon this proposal II is wise to sus-
pend Judgment. Americans are felicitat-
ing themselves already that American
downright honesty and directness of pur-
pose has dished up cold turkey when
European diplomacy wcs prepared only
for rhetorical appetizer.
We seem thus far to have swept the
Old World off of its feet. European and
Asiatic diplomacy generally overreacnes
ours. IF we start In our shirt sleeves We
may end in barrel
indiana polls Strr--The proposal made
by Secretary Hughes gets the whole SUBJ
ject OF Limitation of armament out in the
open and disposes of the fear That the
delegates might bubble and spar In Sc
cret without reaching n satisfactory con-
clusion. Secretary Hughes hns placed
our cards on the table He presents n
concrete programme for relief from the
crushing burden of naval ornament. We
are willing TO lead the way and our offer
has gone to the people of this country,
of Great Britain, of Japan and OF the
other nations represented. all OF whom
are anxiously awaiting the outcome of
the sessions. Those at the conference
will not care TO go back to their coun-
trynien with empty hands in view of the
L. &C. ~f~