Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-16
LIMIT AIR ARMAMENT

OF no slight significance is the
by those who have experienced it.
The membership of the American
Legion is both large and influential.
Its opinion of what constitutes pre-
paredness carries with it a certain
weight of authority that of men with
practical knowledge respecting that
Of which they speak. That this
opinion since the last war has been
in favor of practical measures for
maintaining the peace is most
gratifying and somewhat reassuring.
The Legion Weekly is now agitat-
ing for another conference to limit
the ornaments of the air 1t is put
ting the case before the public very
clearly and cogently. In the light
of it the impractical pacifist looks
foolish, the one who would make no
,ffort to restrain war, appears like
a criminal.
A recent editorial reviews the
present situation convincingly. The
preparedness of France for aerial
warfare is considered: "She has 40
squadrons of military flying ma
chimes and intends to have 220
squadrons by the end of 1925. These
planes are not engaged in the trans
port of mail or the amusement of
spectators at county fairs. They are
engaged in the preparation for war,
which is the business of an army.
They are primarily weapons of Of
Tense" "++ Hitherto experts have
calculated in terms of months and
weeks how quickly a nation could
put an army in the field. Now
Europe nervously eyes France and
the experts calculate in terms of
hours and minutes how quickly the
tri- color can put an army in the air.
That is what France is prepared to
do. She has planes which carry 70
miIlimeter cannons. planes which
can transport six machine guns and
their crews, enormous bombers
which carry explosives by the ton.
She has fast climbers and planes
which are almost noiseiesS in flight
special fighting ships armored with
battleship steel. Actual troopships
of the air are under constructions.
Such a situation inevitably causes
apprehension among the neighbors
of France-and all countries of the
world are fast becoming neighbors.
The English are frankly taxing them
selves to meet this aerial develop
ment. Scientists are Boosting of the
discovery of noxious gases capable
of putting entire armies to sleep.
Theorists are arguing that war must
be made more terrible, must not
spare the non combatant in order to
brighten the world into keeping the
peace. That is the sort of CONVERSE
ton employed when Germany by her
clouds of chlorine gas threw armies
into commissions of agony. The same
talk was made by the Germans at
the time they were perfecting their
war machine.
But to continue the quotation
from the Legion Weekly:
THUS the peace of mind of Europe
is disturbed and the peace of
Europe is disturbed and the peace
of. Europe and the world truly
menaced, to say nothing of the
miseries of continued taxation for
foolish purpose. Thus also is much
of the good work accomplished by
the Washington conference vitiated.
The naval armament contest is end
ed, only to give way to contest OF
air ornaments. The United States
cannot stand by and tWiddle its
thumbs. If these other countries
build more planes. so must we. If
We do not we are foolish. But If
We don't al! get together and settle
the matter AS we did the matter of
capital ships of the navy we are
more foolish still. Let us have an
Internal icnal conference on the
limitation of air armament
1.-THE statesmen who will bring
about sucl, a conference will have
served their fellow mon in an inn
portant particular. Their names will
live for long time