The Nome nugget., 1926-07-31
MARTIAL
 EXPENSES
Navy League of the United .5faies ft49 r.. street, x N
 Washington. Dc.

! fs49 l. sfreet, x. N
 Washington. De.
 July &o l9aG
 During the period from l9H2= to i924 oHr disbursements Tor arms. measured in terms Haf present day money, roso from Sf=00 ta nearly | 6.oo per eapita.=Wiile we allowed unr other eoSernlfcnt expenditures Q multiply more than 'hrse=fold rom about S2f.oo= te almost $S60 per head. an increase of nearly 62.oo," says Mir. William f'e5yard 'ardtner in an article dcali with he Reduction of Armamcut; fn h. urrent North American R4tew 'asins his statements on 5i=sf-e.; published by the Naiiontl tutaustrial Conference Board Nr Gardiner makes the point that our 'a a==lar= lens arr due not sa much Io h. If en allered "erushfne burden =af rmaments" as To the ole5 ,d s,t5g5,' Hfr ii'" I'i'H tli'lil Il fffst t7tt | ities. and th" conseqn' | m fai ''la if local taxation
 The American =deiasur3. tttere- or. .in=thc view oiZ Mir Gardinrn, hnuld be governed at tho next Re 'uction of Armamcnts tonfereue" " the fundamental principle of re aiming adequate means tn uphold he sovergn power and international policies of the United States. to afesuard all its territories, to ,rotect it's world wide commerce nd to support tie tights of its itiztns in foreign paris. rather han by the erroneous assumption hat reduction of armaments is im- 'eratlye on financial grounds a urt of reduction-at-any-p policy. Tor this naval critic points out that !lthough armaments insurance aver tge to cost the other great powers learly Si.00 per thousand of their otaI national wealth, the cores 'ondinp cost to the United States is ess than S2.u0 per thousand here IS il is said We average to pay over 5a."o per thousand for fire insur- ,nce.
 With this preface Mir. Gardiner outlines the political and naval con iderations which confront the Re- suciion of Armamcnts Conference. he Preparatory Commission for which is meeting at Geneva this ummer.
 The author points out that ti,e 'niied States with Canada and heNico-is large Island in cor rast to the great world continent comprising in Europe Asia and Afri- a, about two-thirds Of all habitahle and and over iour-tifths ui the bu- nan race. in our insuriar position We are far from self-snncinnt and mmutabiy dependent on the con iuct and control of ovcrsea com nunications. Dispositions that are made eonccrnine our navy. there ore, are of vital concern to our pro iress and prosperity. and even to ,nr safety.
 Although the central position of North America in the world of mari ime trade is potential advantage, he maintenance of our standard of living rests on our being assured of necessary imports. Of markets open -o our products, and of reliable means Of collecting our imports an distributing our exports. If there is anything to be learned from his- tory We should not rely on our com petitors to collect our imports ard deliver our exports for us. And we should not rely on sources of i'm ports and markets for exports that are in effect. under the shadow of our oversea mpetitors--un1ess, in turn. the latter can be controlled"
 After considering the political and naval aspects of the Washing ton Conference for the Limitation of Naval Armaments and character izing the treaty signed there as dam built only halfway across the stream. because the conference fail ed to limit light cruisers. submar- ines and other auxiiiaries tsince the conference. Japan has laid down or appropriated for 91 sea-going war ships. Great Britain 21. and the