Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-10-02

bate on the air estimates in the House Of Com
mons In 1927 he was greeted with laughter
by the members present. Nothing could better
illustrate the happy carelessness with which
we move toward the next catastrophe. The air
maneuvers over London this past Summer have
demonstrated clearly that it will be almost i'm
possible to prevent the copious gassing of that
great warren within few hours of the OPEN
ing OF any new European conflict Of first-class
rank.
The gravest chapters in this book are not,
however, the recital of the novel and enhanced
horror. for civilians quite as much as for sol.
diers OF the next war, but the excellent and
disturbing study of the gathering rivalry OF
the United States and Britain in naval affairs.
and the discussion of the possibility of a war
between these two halves OF the English.speak.
ing world. The stupid professionalism of the
experts Is largely to blame, and the still more
stupid readiness Of the present governments
in both Britain and America to follow the lead
of these obsessed gentlemen. Whether a war
between the United States and Great Britain
is to be regarded tolerable possibility does
not enter into the philosophy of the naval mono.
maniacs on either side Of the water. Their
business is to make Britain safe" from the
United States and the United States 'safe"
from Britain, and they are quite capable of
calculating upon Japan as an ally in such a
The wholesome brotherly jealousy Of our
two peoples Is to be fostered and infamed in
the cause Of armament and preparedness to
the fighting pitch. The rivalries of Industrial.
lists and oil manipulators are to be dragged
into the celebrating quarrel.
The reader must turn to Lieut.. Con1dr. Ken.
worthy's book to realize how far this obscene
fooery with human welfare has gone already
and how easily it may go further He shows
how step by step the trouble may be worked
up until the two great masses of English
king npODlo find themselves
sides in the alliances of new war that will
Guido all the destruction and miseries Of 1914
as that outdid the Napoleonic wars.
Very good and convincing, too. is the sum-
mary of the activities Of the League of Nations
and the very complete demonstration that that
ill-planned and Unsupported assembly has
fallen back even from the poor courage of It's
earlier enterprises. AS a means Of settlement
for minor international difficulties which the
states concerned want settled, it has a consid-
cradle usefulness, but as guarantee against
graver quarrels it Is beneath contempt
It Is more than useless because it is dan
gerous a great number of people in Europe
and America are persuaded that it Is a sort
Of war preventive, and that when they have
paid their subscription to a local branch Of the
League OF Nations Union and been to a lecture
or garden party once year under its aus.
pices they have done all that they can be rea-
sonably required to do to secure world peace
forever. Upon many such excellent people the
existence Of the League of Nations acts as
msichievous opiate. They would be far more
actively and intelligently at work against the
war makers IL it did not exist to lull them into
a false security.
X X X X
But when I reach chapter 10. which Is to
tell us what Is to be done. find as have re.
marked already, certain fading in the tones
OF our authors voice. He is for an alliance
to suppress war. and he points out very clearly
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