Evening star., 1924-08-17
Reduction of Armies, Russ Recognition,
Are Issues Europe Next Must Solve

of the war disposed Of, the people of a greater
part Of Western Europe at least. will look
toward the removal of those things which
have been provocative Of war.
Notwithstanding the loud clamoring of GER
tain politicians and statesmen. the peoples of
Europe, falling they are more and more
under the sway Of socialistic doctrines, are
made to believe that through the League OF
Nations there may be found salvation from
future struggle. But they realize this instru-
ment is only strong the allied powers
want 1t to be. and only In prolonged peaceful
and cooperative arrangements of France,
England. Belgium and Italy 1t really be
effective. There always is the possibility of
these friends falling out at future periods.
Therefore, the people are arguing there
should be some intimidation of those instru
ments which are more and more generally
recognized as provocative. In short, they
believe that military forces SO long impeding
progress by virtue of the drain upon various
national treasures, should be curtaied to
point of reasonable safety.
In all nations France military forces
could and would be cut to mere shells IL there
was a concerted move to this end with subse-
Quent agreement The next great issue to be
solved in Europe will be curtailment of mill
tary forces-not dsarmament-but a sub
stantial reduction of instruments of war, with
their accompanying burdens. Economic and
financial demands placed upon all nations by
virtue Of the last war are greater than ever
in history. Peoples must emerge from their
present plight If there Is to be real progress.
With substantially reduced armies, national
exchequers would be relieved. Hence dis
armament demands are but logical step in
the general rehabilitattve PROCESS
Issue to Go Before League.
Tho issue will come to a head during the
forthcoming sessions of the League of Nations,
when. 1t is declared, France will seek to have
the league supervise the disarmament pro-
visions of the treaty of Versailles. This neces-
sarily need not open up the general question.
but the leagues special commission on mill
tary naval and air questions Is to convene in
Geneva within the course of the next few
days, and 1t is stated that representatives of
all allied powers, possibly save France, will
urge that a general program of reduction Of
armies and military establishment be devised
and submitted to the league council for action.
The greatest opponent of such agreement is
France. and it is expected that Premier
Herriot will go slow before committing his
country to any definite program, great is
French fear of future Germanic incursion.
However, France made concessions in London,
and il definite scheme not entirely
prejudicial to French interest can be devised
during the sessions of the league. it would not
be surprising to France fall in line. But
great optimism this would be
decidedly imprudent
However, 1t is one Of the foremost great
questions remaining to be solved before the
peace SO longed for by the people of Europe
definitely can be realized. 1t is the one great
issue that must be me, by each nation before
disastrous economic situations can be squared
with the general desire for relief from hnan-
cial woes. And in all postwar problems,
there must be compromise without stint
before there can be general curtailment of
military forces. The real test of Europe's
desire for prolonged peace will come in ex-
emplifcation of Willingness to curtail