Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-09-26
STOP BUILDING AIR CRAFT
e..ean Legion to Recommend Inter-
national Disarmament Conference
conduct National Referendum


AN international air disarmament
conference to stop the present air ron.
structlon race will be recommended hv
Tue American Legion, which will con.
uuct national referendum to Obtain
the views of prominent Americans oS
TO the advisability of such CONFER
ence.
All members of congress, governors
VI all states, 1000 editors, 100 college
pieslaents and a number Of prominent
e1tizehS VIII be asked by the Legion tn
express an opinion on the pronosal
winch would involve the holding of q
meeting in Washington, similar to the
naval disarmament conference to be
altenued by representatives of all lead:
ing world powers for the purpose of
reaching some agreement as TO the
NUMBER OF fighting and observation
plahes to be maintained by each.
Ii the opinion of the national lead.
ers IS favorable to the Legion's prof.
ecu PRESIDENT Coolidge will be asked
10 call an international conference.
necessity for immediate action in the
matter Of limitation of air armament
exists since France took the lead in an
air-construction program, and the re-
inalnlng European powers have en-
tered the mad race to overtake the
French. France at the present time
mas 40 squadrons of the military ma.
chlnes and plans to have 22O at the
end of 1925. The planes will carry 75-
millimeter cannons and will also no
used 70 transport six machine guns
and their crews. The plans include
machines which will serve as actual
troopships of the air.
England is the nearest competitor.
having appropriated $27 100000 to en-
large her air armada. 1t has been es-
tlmated that by 1926 England will be
able to send aloft only 624 battle ma
chlnes in comparison with Frances l.
o5O air lighters. Italy and Russia have
actively entered the race, the latter
planning to have 10000 planes in OBJ
Grafton.
A statement issued recently by Ma
tlonal Commander Alvin Owsley calls
attention to the fact that naval and
land forces have been reduced by ma
tlonal agreement and that the Legion
proposes to attempt to obtain similar
measures governing aircraft.
The crying need of the world today
IS peace-industrial, commercial, eco
nomlc peace-a restoration from the
ravages and horrors of war, a settling
down and getting back TO the sane pur-
suits Of industry, quietude of heart and
mind, to live in safe seclusion away
from the covetousness of the invader"
the statement reads.
Can we of the Legion who were
their comrades in arms not ask the
nations to pause and see what they
are doing? Preparedness in a larger
sense means temptation to use that
which is being prepared to fight The
wounds of the last titanic trouble are
still gaping open; the life blood of the
nations is still pouring out because of
too much preparedness for battle.
II propose to the world preparedness
for peace-a coming together in a
great world conference for the limita-
ton of airplanes for war instead Of war
to destruction. 1 challenge the right
of any nation to prepare any instru-
ment of destruction and claim the
name of defender of world peace
Peace will come when the people of the
world will to have peace and express
their will in solemn declaration and
covenant sealed with honor.
America is ready to lead the way to
secure peace in the air and she has
gone far by example to make war i'm
possible On land and sea-"