The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-09
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKIN, Director,
Washington, d. 9.
WOMEN AND DISARMAMENT.


United States, is the latest political
activity of women to get under way
here. 1t will be watched with interest
because, aside from the Importance OF
the subject it has tackled, it will show
what the women can do in the way
of mobilizing public sentiment.
The women are in favor of disarma-
ment. Further, they believe that the
great mass of the people are also in
favor of 1t. They believe that when
the people are shown how much arma-
ment costs, and what might other
wise be done with the money, the
people will beNstfll more in favor OF
disarmament. In a word, their object
is to clarity the sentiment in favor or
disarmament and make it evident to
congress.
whether one favors disarmament or
not, it can scarcely be denied that this
move to stimulate public discussion or
it is a good one. If the argument in
favor of competitive shipbuilding is
the best one it will doubtless win.
In the, past, peace and disarmament
have been urged on1the grounds of
sentiment, with many illusions to
widows, orphans and wounded The
new organization talks statistics, with
the idea Of showing that neither this
country nor any other is in shape to
spend millions of dollars on battle
ships that in a year or two may be
obsolete.
The committee is composed of
women all over the country. 1t is en-
tirely a women's group because the
SO women who started It in Washing
ton found that while plenty of men
big business men, politicians, finan-
ciers-were willing to endorse the
project, they were not willing to be
publicly lined up as adherents-not
until the demand for world disarma-
ment is well established. Senator
Borah of Idaho, and Representative
Frear of Wisconsin, however, agreed
disarmament.
The great expense of maintaining
militaristic government is one of
the main arguments set forth by the
womeT1'S committee. 1t holds that
large percentage of the people want
this expense cut, that the people in
general do not want militaristfc gov
eminent, but that big army and navy
programs continue to be planned be-
cause the people do not make their
sentiments known. What the COM
mittee expects to do is to hold mass
meetings and conferences and interest
people in letting their congressman
know what they think about disarma-
ment.
To Fight Navy Bill.
1--WE are concentrating on the ma
val appropriation BILL" says Miss
trict of Columbia, because the naval
bill will be one of the most important
matters before congress when it con-
venes this month. There are only
three nations with formidable navies
England, Japan, and the United
States OF the three, this country is
the only one that can continue big
building program without bankruptcy,
and we can afford it only by giving
up all ideas of progress in education,
road building, sanitation, and peace
time science. We hear nothing but
how the country must retrench in its
expenditures, and the only place to
retrench when an army and navy are
being built up is to cut down a few
thousand here and there on education
and science instead of adding a few
thousand to meet the demands of or
binary progress. That is what it
means when we economic.
England has cut down on her naval
building. Japan is building in fever
ish sort of attempt to keep the United
States from entirely understanding her.
Neither nation has the funds to put
into battleships and the United States
can raise the funds only at the expense
of progress and by heavy taxation that
must grow heavier as we continue.
fright now there is proposed a tax
on everything that is bought, not just
on luxuries, but proportionate tax on
pins and needles, chairs, coffee, and
everything else that stores carry. This
is obviously not necessary to pay the
S4S1,O0O 900 for non-military govern
ment projects. But something of the
sort will be necessary if in addition to
this civil appropriation, and over
50, 900, 100000 to be paid on past wars,
we add 1855, 100000 to be invested in
the army and navy"
Besides working to have the naval
appropriation limited, the women's
committee wants to have President
Harding and congress take steps to
call a conference of the powers to dis
cuss practical means of disarmament.
This many statesmen would demand
as the step to be taken before We cut
down the naval building program. The
hearings on disarmament before the
house naval committee in January
strongly indicated this attitude. Gen
eral Bliss, Secretary Daniels, General
Pershing. and others who testified
spoke in favor of an international con-
ference t. consider some degree of
disarmament, but pending such con-
ference. they favored a continuance of
shipbuilding.
japan and England Willing.
So far as naval programs are con-
cerned, only England, Japan and the
United States would need to confer.
for they are the only naval powers
now. But as other nations would feel
Sl1Ehted II le1L out OF the OeIlDeEd-
tions, it is probable that conference
would include them also.
Both Japan and Englandhave sug-
gested that they would welcome
chance to liTnitsnaval progress jap
anese statesmen have expressed a de-
sire to see their navy reduced to a
minimum that would still enable
Japan to protect her coasts. As far
back as 1913. England asked for an
agreement to reduce naval expendi-
lures, but Germany, then naval
power, would not consider 1t. When
Sir Philip Gibbs was asked his opin-
ion as to England's present view on
accepting an invitation to a disarma-
ment conference. he said that England
is divided into factions regarding dis
armament, but there is no doubt that
the great mass of the English people
would bring pressure on the govern
ment to accept such a decision, and
the entire strength of the labor and
liberal parties in England would be
brought in on that side.''
The objection to "a conference and