Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-08-20
DISARMAMENT
Continued from Page One)

After describing some of the OBJ
stacles TO such an agreement, he de-
clared:
NO difficulties can be allowed to
deter the nations from. graphing
with an enterprise of such urgent
Importance"
Lord Bryce said in part:
The moment is opportune for
disarmament. not only because the
great European states cannot with
out financial ruin bear the burden
which ornaments impose upon
them. but also there is no immediate
prospect of another war between
the great states having large fleets
and armies. Though the causes of
war are numerous. actual hostilities
are much more likely to, break out
between the smaller than between
the greater states, since the latter
are exhausted and impoverished
Prudence. moreover, suggests
that. it would be foolish to vote i'm
mense sums now for battleships and
other engines of war which might
prove of little value when they
would begin to be wanted. To put
the matter on a cynically business
| basis. is it not obvious that the less
! money q nation throws away now,
| the more it will have at it's disposal
II all plans for peace should event
| ually miscarry and black thunder
clouds rise again over the horizon?
And now let something be said on
will riS
the problem comes to be discussed.
The first is: What scale can be fixed
for each country as that which its
armies, it's fleets. it's aircraft, togeth-
or with the war munitions needed for
these branches of war service, shall
not exceed? Obviously these will in
each case be proportional to the area
and population of the country. But
there are also other points to be con-
! Sidered, such as the defenSibility of
the frontiers, the means of commune
cation within the country. the amount
of danger to be apprehended from any
such internal disturbances which
, troops may be needed to rcpress.
Another difficult arises regarding
the term of service and the relation
! lice. or of the volunteer, and the train
ing of number of officers beyond
! those needed for the standing rank and
file.
/ Another set of problems arises
! when we ask how the observance of
the limits allotted to each country IS
! to be secured. There is no use in
making a reduction now unless the
rule prescribed be adhered to, for in
, creases in any country would forth
with alarm the others. 1t has been
, suggested that sort of board of in
/ spections might be created to watch
! over the fulfllment of the undertake
| ings made TO keep within the limits
! prescribed.
! But even supposing the contract
| ing powers to be willing to submit
! their action to such scrutiny it may
he too hard to make it effective.
! Doubtless some kinds of preparation
for war can not easily be concealed
Tie building of huge battleships and
battle cruisers or of Zeppelin airships
or the casting of big guns for naval
| or siege work would become known
and could he stopped if an authority
were provided capable of discovering
it and stopping it.
1T has been proposed to forbid the
men of munitions of war by private
firms in order to prevent any capital
lists from having motive to bring
war about and either provoking i'll
feelings between nations or getting
up war scares to induce governments
to place orders for materials with
them The danger of such action upon
nations and governments has probably
been much exaggerated. but supposing
it to exist it might continue to oper-
ate in the case of firms who make the
materials most needed for the manu-
facture of munitions, and governments
might be disposed to accumulate out
of caution for the future inordi-
nately large stocks of munitions If
they had only their own factories to
rely upon.
Some have suggested that the
! most effective method Of limiting ex-