Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-19
America and Disarmament.


Plsttsburg Yesterday was a timely re-
iteration Of Americas plea for prac-
teal sane and substantial limitation
~ armamentS Delivered at time
when delegates to the preparatory
disarma ment commission in Geneva
anpear to have reached An impasse
the address will he read with keen in
terest in foreign countries as we'll as
here.
The Secretary Of state not only
made clear the devotion Of the United
States 10 the principle of arms limita
ton and the elimination OF costly and
suicidal international races in the
matter Of land and naval and air
ornaments. hut he put 4 spike in the
reports from abroad that the United
States was TO quit the arms confer
ence There has been suspicion in
America from the inception OF the
League Of Nations arms conference in
Geneva that il it was found impos
sible to reconcile international differ
Nnces on limitat ion OF ornaments. an
effort would he made to place the
blame on the United States. Secretary
Kellogg's address. stating the position
Of this Government so clearly. should
make any such effort Intellectual, even
II IT, were attempted.
Two rocks over which the delegates
IN the preparatory conference seem to
have split are proposals that any for
r,lla for arms limitation shall include
the Industrial and economic resources
~ nation and that there shall he in
uuiries by international authorities TO
learn il there he hidden ornaments
and secret war preparations. Both Of
these proposals are repngnant to the
American Government. Great Britain
and other nations have agreed with
this country in these matters, while
France. the little entente and other
countries have supported these pro
posalS The delegates. who first met
in Geneva three months ago. and
whose sole duties are to prepare an
aeenda or program for an arms con
ference. are about TO adjourn. II is re-
ported. 10 meet again in October.
Americas effort at the conference
has been from the first to keep the dis
cussions down to practical measures
81 arms limitation. Rome was not
huilt in a day nor is general limitation
~ armaments. or disarmament, to he
schieved in a single conference. The
beginning was made in Washington in
1922 when important agreements
were entered into hN the great naval
powers 10 limit their ca pital ships and
aircrsf, carriers. Americas suggestion
a. the Geneva conference has been
that regional agreements he sought
Aret in an effort to start the hmita-
ton If land ornaments agreements
that would tend to solve the difficulties
presented by bristling guns and
kayonets Of neighborinS nations and
suspicious engendered through wears
81 strife in the past The feeling has
beer that an attempt 10 find formula
which might solve all the problems
and al one stroke lop off the worlds
ornaments would he futile. What the
United States has urged is 10 build
so,idly from the ground up. slowly, il
necessary, but surely.
The interest of the United States in
the limitation Of land ornaments in
other nations is rather academic. but
this Government has been earnest in
its efforts to help others to which land
ornaments present vital problem.
The Army ~ the United States is al
ready reduced 10 such an extent that
II would he far below any reasonable
International ratio which might he
adopted In naval armament limta
tinn the United States has q greater
interest II has been the hope OF this
Government that eventually il would
he possible To extend the limitation
now placed on capital ships to auxil-
iarv naval craft. including cruisers. de-
srroNerS and sllhma rineS. Secretary
Kellogg has indicated clearly, however,
thst this country has no purpose to
draw away from the present interna
tional discussion Of ornaments To
seek purely naval limitation confer
eyre.