Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-11-01
DREAMS N

: There are those who dream of international
ffoorssarmament, general and complete, as a result of
an lie coming conference, and the dreamers wax
aaccasssroth when an effort is made to convince them that
in 3ey are dreaming, and that their dreams cannot
GHorSme true.
e. The United States will be one of five great
Fpwers called together to discuss a subject of COM
ata q interest, the other parties having been invited
sped discuss special features apart from the question
vas armament itself. Assuming that the representa-
Ives of. the United States enter the conference COM
Janliitted definitely to a program of complete disarma7
hhe oss ana that they stand unwaveringly for that
sspns.aAogram, how would they proceed to get what they
Dudant?
eo1s So far as the United States is concerned, this
theITlntry can .disarm whenever it pleases. In can
s,naSen retire all its local policemen. Immediately
a,rypere would be released several hundred thousand
Zen Tor constructive work, and it would be posi-
recde to divert billions of dollars to useful purposes
TO connection with which there is a crying need for
Ioney.# Other nations might question the wisdom
in such a proceeding, but they would have no right
oo5 raise objections. In this particular we are a law
eranto ourselves.
= other nations in this movement, how would we
o about it? There is a very decided opinion in
Tance5that France needs an army of considerable
-1ze if she is not again to pass through the expert
noes of 1871 and 1914. France would doubtless
e glad to be relieved of the burden of that army if,
l doing so, she could be insured against aggres-
ion from Germany. The same considerations of
economy and %brotherly love that exist now existed
= #rior to the two former invasions, vet France has
vice been almost bled to death. What have we to
ter in exchange for the protection which her army
fords? Moral maxims? Pious platitudes? They
gill not do. France needs something that will stop
n army. Disarmed, we could offer her no assist
nee. a
Great Britain proceeds on the theory that she
leeds a large navy. Without such a navy she
you'd long since have become a German principal
@.ty, starved into submission by the cutting off of
livery avenue by which she could obtain food. She
b S,ame decidedly too close to that, fate for comfort in
Che late. war; and she is not inclined to run a SINH
r risk again. What would Britain say to our de-
band that she sink her navy? Would we guaran-
ZEE to protect her commerce on. the seas and insure
M@saer a steady stream of food? With what? A
Mqunken navy of our own?
IN a very material reduction of armament. That is
##Ssts purpose. But if it does attain that object it will
Tot be by dreams, or buster, or tomfoolery. 1t
will be as a result in the first place of a common de-
# ire to lessen the war risk of the world and~to re-
luce the burden of armament. That desire, with
Nsut question, exists among the people Of all the
countries represented, and we are confident that it
will be reflected in the sympathies and efforts Of
their representatives. Given the impelling desire
For reduction to the limit Of safety, the result will
kae reached by a spirit Of accommodation and a
@nents which tend to provoke war and to obstruct
Mour progress in the desired direction. There will
BE no miracles worked. There will be, there must
soe the %altruistic spirit, but there will be and must
@oe on the part of the representatives of each nation
recognition, Of the peculiar interests of that nation.
The prospect is promising. But dreaming foolish
gsdreams cannot aid in its realization.