The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-11-03
MEANS
ARMAMENT RACE
COUNTRY is TOLD WHAT WILL
REsln7IF CONFERENCE is
NOT A SUCCESS.
ANOTHER DANGER IS SEEN
Government Officials Fear United
States Would Refuse to Enter the
Contest and Thus Lay Itself Open
to Attack.
3y EDWARD 3. CLARK.

hSlllllSt UIl.-lt Is kllDNll tllul SoN-
eminent officials wish the country to
know that if the conference on the
limitation of ornaments fails in its
purpose, there instantly will start a
race between the great nations to see
which most quickly can expand its
army and strengthen its sea forces.
The authorities ask how the country
likes this prospect.
II is estimated in high quarters here
that another and sharper danger, so
far us the United States is concerned,
is feared. 1t is held by some of the
officials that if the conference is not
a success in limiting ornaments. while
1t is virtually certain that every other
nation on earth will begin increasing
its army and its navy, the United
States, because of the pressure of GER
tain elements in its population, may
drop out of the race and thereby lay
itself open to attack from some future
enemy, and to inevitable defeat.
Nothing has happened recently to
make it appear that the conference
on limitation of ornaments and Far
East problems is to be failure but
of course failures always are possible,
and especially is this so when there
are sharp points Of differences in the
policies Of the nations that are confer.
ring, points which must be blunted
before there can be any hope Of agree
meEt.
Again, Not disarmament"
1t is becoming apparent day by day
that the administration continues to
fear that the people of America still
misunderstood the nature Of the COM
ing conference. A word from officials
here and there is that in the face of
everything that has been sent out in
correction, virtually all the speakers
before women's clubs, civic OrganiZa'
lions and other bodies, continue to re-
fer to the coming meeting as disarm'
ament conference, whereas it is moth
ing of the kind.
Complaint Is made in Washington
also that the newspapers still continue
to offend. 1t is said at least that
they are continuing to offend by the
use of the word disarmament" with
out any qualifications, in their head
lines.
OF course every newspaper man real
ICES that Limitation of ornaments
is too long an expression to fit into
q headline satisfactory to its maker
SO 1t Is that disarmament" standing
alone has the appeal Of brevity. Wash
ington authorities, however, suggest
that "arms conference might meet the
headline requirements, but they also
suggest that 1t Is wiser to use the
longer expression, Limitation of arm
aments."
No one here in official position has
ever thought of the possibility of scrap
ping the nayies Of the world and mus
tering out the armies. 1t may be that
there will come out Of the conference
a plan by which some armies may be
reduced, and another by which all the
navies also can be reduced until there
is an equitable relatively between the
sea forces of the nations. Beyond this
it Is not thought In Washington that
much can be done, but it is said that
if the things outlined are done the ex
penses of the governments Of the
world will be reduced by an enormous
sum yearly.
Watch the Pacifists.
Officials in Washington say that Il
Is the staggering financial burden OF
keeping up ornaments which Is wor.
rying the people. OF course the au.
| thOrties realize that there are ele
ments in the population which did
not want the United States 60 pre-
pare for war even when Mprepared
ness was known to be insanity, and
1t Is believed these elements will urge
no matter what other nations do, thai
the United States shall disarm com.
pletely.
The navies Of the world interpre,
the policies of the state departments
Of the countries which they represent
At least a police force is needed
by every country which has posses.
stons In any part of the world. M
one here in official life apparently
dreamed that there could still remain
a belief anywhere In the United States
that Uncle Sam would do away with
all his ships.
The United States army virtually
Is down and out. The pressure from
the country forced congress to cut the
army from the figures set by the ex.
perts as being necessary, 100000 men
to 10000 men. In Washington TODAY
the experts say that the army Is bare.
~ big enough for police work and that
It Is powerless body so far as an of.
fensive is concerned against any ma.
ton Of any size.
Four Millions Unemployed.
Again word has come that the
condition Of unemployment in the
United States Is not quite as had
as it has been pictured It is said
now that. there are less than 100000
workers of both sexes who have
nothing for their hands to work at OF
their heads to do except to worry.
While this has an amelioratina
sound, nevertheless It is seemingly q