Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-03-20
AMERICA must
LEAD IN WORLD
DISARMAMENT
- -
Henderson, British Lib
eral, Says President
Has Opportunity.
Hostility Was AS
set to Bolsheviki Lead
ers in Russia, Belief.
By ARTHUR HENDERSON
(Former Member Of the British War
Cahinet.l

Copyright 1921, by The Tribune.
London, March 19.-Amid the ma
neuverings of government in the ques-
ton of disarmament, the peoples of
the world, who are not only ready but
anxious for concerted disarmament,
are wondering where the difficulty Of
making progress lies.
The United States has a big special
building committee, it seems, but is
ready to discuss armament reduction.
Great Britain, owing, it is said, to
the great naval increase in the naval
strength of the other powers" is be-
ing called upon by the government to
increase it's navy so that it always
may be the equal of any other single
power.
Welcomes Harding's Hint.
Still. the first lord Of the British
admiralty declares he welcomes the
hint thrown out by President Harding
regarding the disarmament conference
at an early date He says the sugges-
ton will not only continue to meet
with the most cordial and helpful re-
Spouse here, but that he himself will
take part in the discussions. In the
meanwhile, unless something definite
is done, navy competition promises to
proceed pace.
British labor is lined up whole
heartedly in support of immediate
steps to obtain international disarm-
ament. 1t has gone so far as to pro-
pose that no further commitments for
naval expansion be enlarged upon I'M
til all efforts to bring about disarma-
ment have been rejected by the lead
ing powers of the civilized world.
Labor feels that these powers should
be approached at once with the re-
quest that joint consideration be Civ
en- to the policy Of disarmament.
What is required for one Of the lead
ing nations to take the initiative?
President Harding could no better
signalize his advent to the high office
he now holds than by issuing in the
name of his government an invitation
to the governments of the world to
take part at once in disarmament dis
cussions. The European powers seem
to be too busy liquidating the war stu
alton to make move. but great good
for the whole world might result from
the powerful initiative of America.
4 large share of interest in London
this week has conferred about the
British Russian trade agreement,
which is significant event, likely to
lead to important developments ma
tionally as well as internationally. 1t
not only has given definite new turn
70 Britains policies toward Russia,
but it is almost certain to introduce
more LIBERAL inquiries into the Russian
policy of the allies and perhaps to
exercise a steadying influence in Rus
is admitted that the hands of the soviet
rulers in Russia have been strength
ened by outside military assaults. They
have been able to maintain their sway
by rallying the Russian people to re-
sist these assaults.
Allied Hostility an Asset.
With the firt of outside accusation
and assault finally quenehed, it remains
government can count upon killing the
spirit of the Russian people. The
events of the past three days in Rus
STA have been closely watched here.
The Kronstadt outbreak is regarded as
significant and while it may not lead
to conclusive change of government,
it indicates a serious cleavage inter-
nationally.
What has been certain during many
months past is that the allied policy
of hostility has been big asset to
the bolsheviki and an obstacle to the
particular form Of government. soviet
or otherwise, that the Russian people
themselves desired to live under. While
the present agreement relates exclu
sively to the resumption Of trade re-
lations, it is sure to exercise strong
influence in the decision of settling
diplomatic readjustments.
There is a. feeling here that the
burden of the present policy will not
fall wholly ON the German people.