New-York tribune., 1921-11-13
ling Books on Phases Of the Washington Conference

preservation. Thcre Id NO give and
take of mutual understanding and fell
iowship in the big comradeship OF
nations. The men who attend to the
talking and the bargaining are, after
all, but citizens raised to third and
fourth powers through their commits
sions as delegates, or certain special
knowledge Of international affairs, and,
here is nutshell truth, they carry up
with them mentally to their new mag
nitudes all the content OF their earlier
intellectual life as members OF town,
a city or state.
eve must tell truths that disturb
strong preiudices,' says Norman An
gell. The stern evidences Of facts
should be present at each session Of
delegates in Washington. We refer to
the bases Of international comfy laid
in kindly consideration Of men not
OF ones own color or race. And there
must be an ever active realization that
power to move toward war through the
chance openings Of petty squabble or
vital difference OF national opinion,
motivated by Inst for economic gain
or by tribal pride, must be closed by
the shield Of justice. Fences of artifice
between nations, nero limos of
geography and history, too often be-
come walls of obstruction and de-
fance. Good will and the ardor to
help should travel back and forth
with the flow of tides of trade. We
can keep our personalities as peoples.
Let us maintain our individuaiities as
Christian states.
The Next War
If war does occur again, and within
the years of this generation. perhaps
CT this decade, what will it be If
waged by armies recruited from and
backed by major nations? viii Irwin,
in his "The Next War" marshals the
whole machinery of battlefield destruc-
ton, goes into the minutia of detail in
describing the perfection attained in
Instruments for killing men, destroy
ing cities, sinking ships. His book
should be read by every man who
longs earnestly for a compact in
Washington aiming to lessen arma-
ments. 1t is too much to hope for an
obliteration of the weapons of war. It
would be definite gain, the arriving
at code that contained clauses pre-
venting the use Of poisonous gases
and deadly chemicals. Despite the
claim of recent writer on chemical
warfare, there is no "chivalry" in bat
tie of that kind.
This next war. If it comes, will be
one of devastating speed" saws
irwin. Victory may depend on the
promptness of the initial thrust.
Not only must the magazines be al,
ways full, the tanks and aeroplanes
always in complete commission. the
gas retorts always charged. but You
must have your factories aiwavs
ready for an immediate change. You
must be prepared at the shortest
notice to turn your dye-and-chemical
works into poison gas works, YOUR
sewing machines and typewriter fac
tories into factories for she'll parts
and so on through thousand indus
tries"
Are we willing to have practically
the entire field of our peaceful. life
supporting industry transformed in
an hour into vast workshop for max
ing weapons to kill men and DESTROY
property! Are we willing to run the
awful risk of shouldering burdens Of
financial debt and household grief.
tnat ambition may be satiated and an
other people be humbled and ruined :?
Irwin. after pages that teen with
wars bloody business, follows Angelrs
lead in asserting and maintaining
that some kind of international agree
ment concerning the distribution Of raw
materials seems necessary to perma-
nent peace"
And So the circle rounds itself
Give each man, in each state. bread
and coin sufficient to his happiness.
remove the artificial distractions Of
unjust tariff and the selfish claim to
spheres of influence; and you will
go far toward molding the world to
an international doctrine of live and
let live. TO attain to this rule of
neatitude requires q wisdom higher
than the present social decalogue Of
nations appears to warrant. But it
may be possible to make move
toward progress By limiting arma-
ments and defining belligerent priv
iliges OF nations.
A World Renade