Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-14
PROPOSED CUT IN ARMIES.

PROPOSED CUT IN ARMIES.
news Item sent from Paris, sew
eral days ago, stated that temporary
mixed commission OF tho League OF
has transmitted TO the gov
ernmcnts OF its member nations--of
which. unfortunately. our country is
not one--a draft plan for Euro
pean armament Limitation. modelled on
the naval reduction proposed by tho
Four-Power Treaty of tho Washing
ton Conference. While this Ia but
tentative movement, II Is one of great
interest. and may lead TO results of
value and importance TO the people OF
Europe.
For years. even In times of ces-
sation OF actual hostllities and tho
prevalence OF what at least was called |
peace, Europe has been an armed
camp. Every nation OF Importance
maintained large standing armies, al
ending OF a war by treaty OF peace
led to very little diminution in the size
and character of the standing armies.
Even after the downfall OF Napoleon.
who was heralded to the world as "a
menace 10 tho peace OF Europe" large
military forces continued to be the
rule, and there Is no doubt the wars
that followed his retirement were due
as much 20 tho maintenance OF these
fighting forces as TO the various issues
that were heralded as the actual pro-
moters 20 hostilities.
almost profitless Boer War, which
cost her much in prestige at home and
abroad rs well Ms in men and money,
entered upon plan OF reduction OF
military strength. and the opening OF
! the great World War found her with
an army OF barely ESQ. 1000 men. sir
John Frcnch's contemplate little
army tho Kaiser insolently styled Il
when II was 20 calamity resisting the
advance OF his armed legions. France
and Russia maintained large land
forces for protection against agrees
sions by Germany. end Germany care
fully nurtured her military Arm TO be
I'm readiness 10 strike the blow which
tho Kaiser and his close attendants
fondly hoped was 70 bring all the rest
OF Europe In subsection TO German
rule. Ana all the Balkan States main
taincd armies Mt nEhtins standard
until the naturally resultant wars
rendered all OF them practically help
less.
Germany il now restricted IN mill
tary armament by the terms Of the
treaty which defeat compelled her &c
accept. but France feels she must keer
her army upon a fighting plane &c
ward OF German aggressions in the
future. And so the people OF France
will continue TO be burdencd by tn,
cost OF a large military establishment
But II is no wonder. with the stag
gering burdens OF war debt they ar,
carrying. the nations Of Europe SHOULD
now look favorably upon proposition
for the curtailment Of military as wei
as naval establishments. The Ia,
burden will remain for years, and {,
-. employ large part OF IL for maintain
ing the costly accessories Of wa
seems TO the people like a miserabI
=. waste OF money that could be profit
ably employed in other and far bette
directions. Events have proved tn
fallacy OF the once popular aphorism
, preparedness for war is the best pre-
, ventive OF war" We now know #
a direct and powerful incentive.
And so Il is encouraging 10 not
- even a tentative move in Europe 1
=. the direction OF general reductio
- of costly military establishments. TIL
= whole world must now be sick Of VIZ
. and It's horrible consequences. ar
yearning for the day, prophesied Ger
turtles ago. when there shall be 7
. more war"
~ >1-