Evening star., 1926-04-25
A Plan to Outlaw War.

Senator Frazier Of North Dakota
has introduced a joint resolution pro
posing an amendment to the Consti-
tuition Outlawing war. Its terms are
sweeping. II forbids all prepa ration
for war Of any kind. The text is in.
teresting:
War for any purpose shall be Illegal.
and neither the United States nor any
State, Territory. association or person
subject to its jurisdiction shall pre-
pare for, declare. engage In or carry
on war or other armed conflict. ex-
petition. invasion or undertaking
within or without the United States,
nor shall any funds be raised. appro-
priated or expended for such purpose.
All provisions of the Constitution and
Of the articles in addition thereto and
amendments thereof. which are in con.
f1ict with or inconsistent with this
article are hereby rendered null and
void and of no effect. The Congress
shall have power to enact appropriate
legislation to give effect to this article.
This proposed amendment is the
draft of the Womens Peace Union, a
national organization, which for two
years has been advocating such a
mea sure. In argument in favor OF 1t
this orga nizatton urges attention to
the action Of the government Of Den
mark, which has virtually abolished
the army and the navy, leaving only
frontier and customs guards and a
number of vessels for coast duty. The
vote, taken recently. on this question
in the Folketing was IS to Il. In
Great Britain, however, not so much
success has attended the efforts Of the
pacifists who have been seeking re-
duction of the la nd and naval forces
to a minimum. On the 11th of March,
on a motion to reduce the personnel
Of the navy from 102 SIS to e.675 men
the vote was 10 to 167 in the negative.
Consideration Of the proposed
amendment leaves the mind some
what muddled as to its possible con
seuuences, If adopted by Congress and
ra tilted by three-fourths of the States
Under il not a single armed mar
could be maintained by the Federal
Government or any State. not a war
ship could be kept in commission, or
even allowed to remain lin ordinary.
Not an airplane could be owned by
any person. There could he no mill
tia force. no officers training schools,
no school cadet corps, and industrial
nlants capable OF making arms and
munitions would have to be dismantled
70 the point Of impossibility OF turn
ing out such equipment in case OF ma
tional need.
or course the theory Of the amend
ment is that there would be no need
of defense. No foreign nation. would
ever attack a helpless country, when
has stripped itself OF all possible
means of self protection. TO be sure
the adoption OF this amendment Is not
made contingent upon similar deciara-
tions bv other powers, hut it Is taken
for granted that no foreign govern
ment would ever venture To cross the
sea or the international boundary, 10
str,ta a 100.per cent helpless land.
The proponents OF this plan ask
that II be put to- test OF public sentf
ment hv adoption by Congress and
submission to popular vote In the
states. They are at all events willing
70 90 the whole distance and to pre-
sert to a national referendum the
anti.war proposal in Its most sweep
ing form. For if this amendment were
over thus submitted to public vote II
would offer no ground for compro
mise.