The New York herald., 1922-05-19
EUROPE IN NO MOOD
TO REDUCE ARMIES
Genoa Farley and Russo
German Pact Deal Blow
to League Campaign.
SITUATION UNCERTAIN
Experts Find 100000 More
Under Arms Than Be-
fore the War.
ONLY AMERICA HAS ACTED
Officials at Genoa Say U. S.
Could Force Disarmament
Throughout World.
ONLY AMERICA HAS ACTED


The nations of Europe are in no
mood to disarm, or to reduce even
substantially the size Of their armies,
and no material progress toward the
reduction of land armaments can be
looked for during the next three or
four years.
Such is the opinion of the disarma-
ment experts Of the League of Ma
tions and the members of the tenn
porary mixed commission on arma-
ments. which is the instrument
through which the league has been
trying for tEe last two years to make
some headway in the direction of
world disarmament.
Only twenty replies have been re-
ceived to the QUESTIONABLE sent out
nearly eight months ago by the league
to it's fifty-one members asking for
detailed information on the present
size of armies, the amount of war
material on hand and contemplated
reductions.
The mixed commission and league Of
ficials have learned from unmistakable
sources that there is no disposition on
the part of the European nations par
ticularly. and the world generally, to
disarm while the present political situa-
ton III Europe continues The Genoa
conference and the Russo German
treaty, in the estimation of the COM
mission members and league officials,
have dealt serious blow to the dis
No Disarma ment at Present.
Information reaching the league IN
dicates that the representatives of the
various countries are leaving Genoa
with greater uncertainty as regards the
future than when they started for the
economic conference. Consideration of
the problem of disarmament itself is
out of the question for the present ow-
ing toNthe sso-German attitude, the
league experts believe. The only out
standing exception to what league cir
cles call the general refusal of the
world to disarm is the Washington con-
ference.
But for the initiative of the United
States Government. it is pointed out,
the record of disarmament since the
armistice. excepting. OF course, former
enemy countries, would be virtually
blank. The only thing that could bring
about general land disarmament within
the next five years would be another
washington conference. called and
strongly supported by the United States.
This Is the conviction of the league ex-
perts, who say that Americas great in
fluence. morally, commercially and fl
nancially. throughout the world, would
compel the nations to reduce their
armies. when the efforts of the league.
which is made up of and is the instru-
ment of these states. would fail.
Barring action by the United States.
the experts have little hope in the i'm
mediate future for disarmament. The
league intends to continue its efforts for
disarmament quietly, but it is going
ahead with the idea that nothing definite
can be done. The officials explain that
in any event they will have the ma
chinery all ready for the day when the
members decide to disarm
Armies Greater Than Before.
The league secretariat feels that no
blame can be attached for failure to
bring about disarmament, emphasizing
the point that the league simply is the
instrument Of its members, and as its
members do not want to disarm. the
league can do no more than continue it's
campaign fo- disarmament and await
change in the political situation.
Although the figures gathered by the
commission are being withheld until be-
ing reported to the assembly, uncon-
firmed estimates recently reached the
league that there are 1000, 900 more men
under arms in Europe to-day than Just
previous to the war. This figure takes
into account the wiping out of the Ger
man army.
The Washington Government has
shown considerable interest in the league
disarmament work. according to one Of
flcial. Two requests have beer received
recently from official American sources
asking for all available information, and
the league has forwarded much confiden.
tial information to the American Cow
ornment. League experts have reported
that the small States created under the
treaty of Versailles have felt bound as
matter OF pride to establish as large
armies as possible. but these States are
finding II increasingly difficult to obtair
money for upkecp. because the banking
interests before granting loans demand
balanced budgets. This means that the
army reduction pressure from this source
may bring about some disarmament.
Since II began Its campaign for dis
armament two years ago. the league has
made successive attempts to call world
conference to consider the control of
private manufacture of. and traffic in
arms. but has not been able to arrange
a meeting.
The first assembly CT the league in
September. 1920. recommended that the
members should undertake not TO spend
on Armements for two years following
the meeting an amount greater than the
sum provided for military, naval and air
forces In the 1920 budget A number Of
the Powers agreed to this. but little was
accomplished. as the budgets for 1920
of the various States were exceedingly
heavy for armaments.
"sfILLION" WORTH s12.Oo.