Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-19
Thursday, May 10, 1921.
NAVAL BILL AND DlSARMA-
MENT

the subject of disarmament should be
considered separately. They have
not shown opposition to the move
ment seeking to secure international
understanding whereby limitations to
armament may be adopted by the
leading nations of the world, but, on
the contrary are squarely committed
to it,
The question naturally arises why.
if we are to make move to disarm,
this be not the opportune time before
we go ahead and spend many millions
increasing our naval facilities. One
may only guess at what the answer
would be were the administration to
tell the whole truth, which. manifest
ly, would be unwise for it to do.
Enough of what has happened in
foreign relations the past few years
is known to the public SO that it may
easily conclude the foreign nations
are not conducting their affairs on
the principle of the good of all; on
the contrary they have been demon
strating a decidedly selfish view
point. Considering this. the admins
tration, however DESTROYS 1t may be
of securing some ratiora' r'an for
limiting ornaments, MAJ r'se!y con-
clude that our international neigh
bors need to be shown a disposition
and ability on the part of this gov
eminent to do what may be neces-
sary to protect it's interests. Such a
demonstration we gave during the
war, it is true, but memories are sur
prisingly short, it would seem, and
we have given no demonstration of
what we would do in time of peace.
We have been VIGOROUSLY lax in the
past in the matter of preparedness
This talk about millions of our coun-
trymen springing to arms overnight
eXcites derision when we realize there
must be arms and all the complicat-
ed machinery of modern warfare to
spring to, otherwise their springing
would be no more effective than a
bad nightmare.
In this matter of international re-
lations those who wrote our Consti-
tuition intended that the President
rather than Congress should be the
one to determine as to methods. We
know that the President is commit
ted to limitation of armament. His ad-
ministration has exercised sufficient
ly good judgment up to now for the
country to properly impose some con-
f1dence in his judgment as to the time
and manner of taking steps to make
that plan a reality.
Senator Borah's career does not af-
ford good grounds for preferring his
judgment to that of President Hard
ing. nor has he the opportunity of the
Gsae conditions. He has, however, a
te9n political sense. He knows that
Abe country does not want war, has
no ambitions dependent On war. 1t
has never been ready for any big war
in which it became involved and has
suffered greatly in consequence.
General Pershing and ex-President
Roosevelt believed that if we had
been prepared we would have had no
war with Germany. From merely a
selfish standpoint and as a safeguard
against the diliatoriness occasioned
by our Indifference it is to our very
material interest to secure an ar
rangement with other leading ma
tons. more disposed and tempted to
warfare than are we, whereby arma-
ments may be SO limited that no ma
ton may be able to make war with
cut warning. Disarmament is q
dream. Limitation of armament may
be, but We do not believe so. When
the representatives of the leading ma
tons are called into conference
with open doors and the peoples of
the earth are listening to what they
say they will be, also the governments
they represent subjected to the ire
mendous pressure of public opinion.
and that is not in favor of burdening
ourselves with huge ornaments and
in laying trains to powder mines
which an accidental spark may ex-
plode.
We must have such conference
and this country should take the lead
in securing it and we have every rea-
son to believe the Harding admins
tration is in hearty accord with that
Idea. We would prefer the manner
Of taking it up should be left to the
administration, though the Borah
plan may prove equally effective.
It is said Secretary Hughes has
been making plain talk to the Rus
man soviet leaders for holding inno-