Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-04
THE DISARMAMENT ILLUSION
BY Frederic J. Haskin.


Washington, d. c., Dec. THAT all
of the disarmament SO far discussed
at the conference amounts to no moro
than an agreement among quarrel
some men each to throw away the an
tiquated blunderbuss which he has in
his hand while keeping two loaded
automatics, a hand grenade and a
dose OF strychine in his pockets, is the
way one observer describes the situa-
ton here to date.
The two most deadly instruments OF
human destruction so far discovered
poison gas and the airplane-have not
even been discussed. The proposal SO
far is merely to scrap a few capital
ships which will probably be obsolete
before the next war gets under way
anyhow.
OF course. the real business Of the
conference is to try to reach some set
tlement Of the troubled questions in
1 the Far East. which are almost sure
to cause war in few years unless ad-
| Justed. There are some signs OF pro-
gress toward such an adjustment. But
1t is pointed out that the whole preten-
sion toward disarmament is futile un-
less more effective program than
the present one is evolved.
France, next door neighbor OF its
ancient enemy Germany. has served
notice on the world that 1t has no In
tention OF reducing its land forces to
| a point where there could be danger
of successful attack from its PROSTATE
enemy. once 1t is on its feet again.
England, Japan and the United
States discuss the ratio their navies
| shall bear to each other. A serious
mulling over this aspect Of the situa-
ton occurs when 1t Is proposed that
the American and British ships shall
be matched in strength. with japan
having three capital fighting ships to
every five In the American navy. A
counter proposal is made that tho ratio
shall be seven to ten.
HOW ABOUT POISON GAS?
Whatever the final conclusions on
the number OF superdreadnaughs and
battle cruisers and the matter of
land forces. under arms or in the
reserve, for all nations. 1t may mean
very little unless effective means can
be devised to put check on chemical
and aerial warfare for the future.
Clinical warfare was employed on
a large scale in the World War for
the first time. Gas. first used by the
Germans against the Canadian troops.
was developed rapidly by both sides,
while defense against gas attacks was
rushed When the armistice was
signed. the war was So per cent chem
ical. according to military authorities.
The airplane became a tremendously
important factor before the war was
over. Plans for all sorts OF war uses
were developed. ranging from the
small speedy scout and combat planes
to tho slower. heavier bombing planes.
hospital planes. and tho like. Defense
against aircraft attacks has never
reached the effectiveness OF defense
against other forms Of fighting. The
anti-aircraft gun IL highly useful. Of
course, but the best defense against
the enemy flyers when the war ended
was other flyers to drive them off or
bring them down.
Tho trouble with curbing chemical
warfare Is that tho plants which
would be OF tremendous military val
chemical plants of tho most innocent
looking sort during eras OF peace. It is
disclosing no secret to say that the
chemical experts of all countries arc
hard at work now experimenting and
devising new and awful combinntio