The Arvada enterprise., 1923-10-04
AIR DISARMAMENT BIG TOPIC
o" o. International lmportanc.
10 DO Discussed at Legion Ma.
t'onal Convention.

tue American LegIon's national CON.
'ention IN San Francisco according
10 Legion national officials
"hen the Legion started its mol, q,
prominent citizens to ascertain puhlIc
sentiment In regard to the adylsah,,,tv
VI "oiulhg conference to limit mill.
'"'y air FORCES In Washington. the
question claimed the serious otta,t,or
VI hegionnaires in all departments and
number Of state organizations have
recommended that the national con.
Vention consider the issue.
Inc Legion believes that world neoce
Is threatened by the unusual mir pro.
grams sponsored by France, England
i'aiy anu Russia. Led by France, the
nations Of Europe are involved in n
r"ce LOT air supremacy which the
Legion reels may result in Il necessity
.or appropriations Of billions of dol.
lars on the part Of this country IN.
less an international agreement ia
reached to reduce air forces.
Public sentiment favors the pro.
posed conference, according to results
obtained to date from the poll which
elected replies from members of con.
gress. governors, editors. college presi.
uehts and many prominent citizens. OF
tne letters received, approximately
w per cent express approval of the
gathering.
| through the views of commentators
runs definite current of opinion that
the conference should be held as soon
as possible and that If it is not held,
the United States should take steps nj
once to obtain thorough protection in
air armament. Writers admit the DIFF.
ncultles Of obtaining representation at
the gathering because of the situation
IN Europe, but express the belief that
the attempt should be made, thereby
revealing to the world the nations re-
1using to cooperate In u movement
for world peace.
| included In the list Of commentators
are number Of Americans whose
words on questions Of an international
character always are sure of a respect.
ful hearing. Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge. chairman Of the senate com.
mittee on foreign relations, who was
one Of the members Of the American
delegation to the Washington arms
limitation conference Of 1921, has ex.
pressed approval Of the Legion's cam
paign In principle. He wrote that he
favored limitations In aircraft similar
to those made In naval strength, pro-
vided that the agreement for limita.
ton Is international.
Newton d. Baker. former secretary
Of war, believes that the conference
should be held ut once because "the
Limitation Of air ornaments Is the most
Important and vital possible limita.
tion.' However, he adds the thought
that international protection must be
afforded to the security Of certain ma.
tions which, because Of their inferior
man-power, have been forced to rely
upon their superior ingenuity in de-
veloplng and producing the most mod.
ern and scientific agencies of war.
That the Legion's suggestion would
have the support Of the farm bloc is in
dlcated in the enthusiastic letter re.
ceived from Senator Arthur Capper Of
Kansas who has written that 1t has
won his hearty Endorsement. ut
seems to me that an International con-
ference would be very helpful toward
bringing about an agreement which
would end competition between ma
tions for supremacy In the air-a pol.
Icy which unquestionably is not only
useless but menace to the peace Of
the world" his letter reads. You are
correct when you say that now Is the
time to consider this matter. Delny
will undoubtedly compllcnte the situa.
tlon and make 1t more diflicult to re-
move the menace"
Legion leaders have expressed grati-
fcation that President Coolidge favOrs
the aims OF the proposed conference,
but disagree with his belief that the
time Is not ripe for cOnvening the
gathering and that this government
should set an example by refrnlnlng
from engaging In competitive building
of aircraft.
"Our stand should be to find out for
certain whether nations are ready TO
discuss Limitation Of air armament. and
II they are not. begin Immediately TO
strengthen our air forces, which are
now not those OF first class power"
Lemuel Bolles. Legion national adJu.
tant, has stated. "The worst thing
that could happen TO the country TO.
dny would be a move to disregard pre-
Iaredness In the face Of the European
contest and for the Legion TO permit
such mn Interpretation TO grow from It's
suggestion Of limitation would be to
repudInte our four.yenr record for pre-.
pnredness."
The Legion's campaign has aroused
much public comment md has been the
subject Of editorials In newspapers all
over the country. II has become one
NJ tho laodinv measures I'm that organ.