Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-30
ARMS CONFERENCE
MOVE IS INFERRED
Presidents Speech Consider
ed Most Significant Step on
Question Since 1921.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Coolidge has made the
most significant move for reductions
of ornaments since the Washington
conference of 1921. His speech at
Trenton is a bid to the rest of the
world to take counsel anew in the
hope of preventing another era Of
competitive ornaments.
Five years have hardly elapsed
since the principal naval powers of
the world agreed to limit their con-
struction of capital ships. Since them
inside those same countries, the desire
to be prepared at some theoretical
time for another possible conflict has
started a wave partly of fear and
partly of armament competition based
on diStruSt.
Mr.. Coolidge calls on the nations of
the world to give up both. He asks
for moral disarmament" arguing
that while treaties and covenants can
help some, neither is sufficient to
bring about the right state of mind by
nations toward each other. The Pres
ident calls on the peoples of the world
TO take counsel again, meaning, nat
urally, another international confer
ence. He speaks also of the necessity
of making sacrifices to a common
cause and recognizing obligations for
mutual service
Particular Formula Not Indicated.
The supporters of the League of
Nations will see in his general
phrases an application that could fit
their own theories of international
cooperation because the league IS
the only world organization set up
thus far, but the President in his
speech did not indicate any particular
formula or institution through which
the world could be saved from the
old system of balance OF power and
distrust.
The same object, namely, interna-
tional cooperation for peace and re-
duction of armament, could be &C
complished by a conference of pow
ers outside the League Of Nations, and
Mr.. Coolidge, if pressed for det1nl-
ton of his Trenton speech, would
probably insist that another confer
ence such as that called by President
Harding IS desirable.
The League of Nations already has
called a disarmament conference, but
feeling toward it in the American
Senate has been lukewarn1. Ameri-
can delegates have attended a pre-
liminary conference and the work mas
been dragging on with very niue
sign of early success. MIR. Coollose
NAV have III nllDu an abs NNNP
of American leadership such as the
United States took when it proposed
the 5-5-3 ratio at the Washington
conference. 49,.
The feeling is growing here that
unless the United States does step III
and assume the initiative, the OPINION
of the world will not be marshaled
as effectively as is necessary UNDER
the circumstances.
Mr.. Coolidge's speech is therefore a
Dre!ude to a call for disarmament 70
which other nations can respond. IL
comes in the midst Of d debate IN the
American Congress on the upbuliolnS
of the American fleet at time when
American speakers are urging that
the United States shall build up to the
ratio Of other powers and when ia
effect other nations are being accused
of violating the spirit If not the letter
of the Washington conference, when
did not complete it's work with respect
to light cruisers and auxiliary craft.
The passages of Mr.. Coolidge's
address relating TO the use of moral
force" as u necessary corollary TO
world peace are reminiscent of the
speeches that used to be made In the
midst of and Immediately after the
close Of the World War against
militia rism. Their revival may mean
the beginning of another era Of moral
suasion among the nations of the
worlc.
(Copyright. 1880