The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1922-01-22
RECOVERY AND DISARMAMENT

tempted to reOove all the evils in the world but
it is striking at Several of the most glazing ones,
such as excessive ornaments and the compca-
tions which threaten to develop war in the Pac-
ifc Ocean.
The great powers have repeatedly agreed, 'in
principle" that excessive ornaments are one of
the chief evils of this age on account of the
brushing taxation they entail the competition and
hostility they arouse, and the danger Of war that
accompanies the increase of ornaments by un-
Iscrupulous powers.
The way to dispose of excessive ornaments is
to reduce limit, or abolish them. The United
States has shown the way by cutting down its
army to a size smaller than the armies of some of
the pygmy states of Europe, and by leading off
in limiting the number and size of capital ships.
The great powers have joined the procession by
limiting the size and number of their capital
ships, and by minor agreements that are about to
be crystallized in five-power treaty.
But the item LAND ornaments" stands on the
agenda Of the Washington conference without
having been acted upon In the meantime it is
proposed by the supreme council that there shall
be an economic and financial conference at Genoa
in March to devise ways and means for restoring
prosperity to Europe.
The basis Of economics and finance is produc-
tory there is no occasion for study of economics
and no need for botherhg about finance. There
can be no production without human hands.
Where are the human hands that should be
producing in Europe? They are in armies, to
great extent; consumers not producers
The countries of Europe need everything that
they can raise and make. If they do not need
it for their own consumption they need it for
export, in order to trade for commodities which
they can not produce.
But instead of taking the bayonet from the
hands of stalwart men and putting a hoe or
chsel in its place, the policy of many European
governments is to keep large armies which are
supported by the taxes paid by the producers,
or by borrowing from foreign governments, or
by merely running deeper into debt.
There is no great armed nation that menaces
Europe. No power like Germany under the
HOhenzollerns, or like Austria Hungary under the
Hapsburgs, now struts about and shakes a mailed
fist. Germany is disarmed, and Austria Hungary
is legend. The hordes of reds in Russia are
imaginary, according to the most accurate in
formation At any rate, they are not organized
with food and transport in such manner as to
make them danger to Europe ~oa ,,.
The only great powers outside of Europe that
could make war upon the European nations are
the United States and Japan. There is no more
danger of aggression from one than from the
other Each is in as much danger from Europe
as it is dangerous to Europe. The fact is that
there is no enemy on the whole horizon of Eu-
rope.
Obviously, therefore, the nations of Europe are
afraid of one another. The suggestion that they
shall hold an economic conference, while they are
armed to the teeth and patrolling their borders in
fear of aggression, seems grotesque. Is it not
reasonable IN hat no
agree to reduce theh ornaments and turn their
man power into productive employment? If they
will not agree to that, why should they ask the
United States and other unarmed and productive
nations to come to their aid? And what aid
could the United States furnish, if its friendly
advice is not worth having?
The millions that are spent every month for
maintaining European armies could be used to
pay the wages of men engaged in agriculture and
The money spent for powder could
be used to buy seeds, cultivators and reapers The
man power now rusting in barracks could be made
thus lifting the tax burden from
their brothers !
If there is any excuse for the large armies of
Europe, it has failed to impress itself upon the
dull brains of Americans From this distance the
map of Europe seems to be dotted with barracks, !
arsenalS airdromes and artillery parks The
European boundary patrol disgusts avery Am
arican who visits that continent. Passport veX-
atoms make travel bore and every possible i'm
pediment seems TO be placed in the way of COM
merce. travel and intercourse. To what end =?
Europe gains nothing and the world loses much.
There is need of practical craftsmanship in
Europe. 1t should manifest itself in curtailing
armies, cutting down useless war expenditures
and opening the frontiers to commerce No
economic conference is needed to show that Eu-
rope stands in its own light by remaining armed
and by keeping its man power in idleness.