Evening star., 1927-04-29

ards and aims of free peoples and
without loss OF real security. His
work shows that the problem is not
| insoluble.
Notwithstanding all obstacles, 1t
may prove to be easier to reach agree
ments as to The limitation of striking
| forces or standing armies than effec-
lively TO limit the new instrumental
tiles Of war. It is of course, futile TO
attempt to limit the industrial strength
of peoples and the greatest difficulty,
in view of the achievements Of science
and Of industrial organization, is en-
countered in relation to aircraft and
the facilities of chemical warfare.
Peaceful industrial productivity
may be in essence preparedness on a
large scale, available for almost imme-
diate application to the uses of any
sort of war, offensive or defensive.
Scarcely any one would care to re-
strain and no one could hope to sue
ceed in restraining the production of
commercial aircraft or to fetter the eX-
tension or Improvement Of this new
method of communication with it's vast
possibilities of usefulness. But after
all possible limitation of aircraft espe-
cially designed for military use, what
is to prevent commercial aircraft from
being turned to war purposes over
night?
Plants Easily Converted
Chemical plants. essential TO tho
Industrial enterprises of peace, may
swiftly be devoted to the making of
the most destructive weapons of war.
If, as is said, aerial bombardment will
most probably be the principal often
sive weapon of future war, if not
withstanding the negotiation of
treaties to the contrary military policy
is founded upon the belief that poison
gas is to be a part of modern war,
what feasible limitations of the pro-
duction of such armament, so easily
and rapidly produced in plants estab-
lished for commercial purposes, can
be devised?
"How may the secret preparation of
weapons Of this sort be prevented and
how can peaceably disposed peoples
protect themselves against the manu-
facture of new forms of deadliest po-
tency which the discoveries of science
may still have in store? In these
facts and apprehensionS are found the
most formidable barriers to the success
Of an attempt to arrive at an all-inclu-
sive agreement Of practical value for
the limitation of all sorts of imple-
ments of war.
by these reflections. One is that these
new wea pons increase enormously the
power of trained military forces of
small size. They furnish no excuse for
the maintenance at vast expense of
the great organizations which are
essentially provocative and are not
needed for reasonable defense. The
argument based on the ease of provid-
ing these new instruments of war is
directed to the futility Of adequate
limitation of all arms and not to the
feasibility of a limitation of other in
strumentalities such as ships of war
and standing armies.
Emphasize Prevention Need.
'The other consideration is that, if
the wars Of the future are to be Waged
largely with the neW-found weapons
of peace-time use, and so devastating
in character it is all the more impor-
tant that all possible measures should
be taken to prevent war, and to that
end. in order that the peaceful dis
position of peoples may be encouraged,
agreements for the limitation of arma-
ment, to any extent or in any area
found practicable, should be made.
Search for universal formulas may
be in vain, but every single step that
can be taken would nave an important
psychological effect as well as its
direct material consequences. A meas
ure of prevention is better than none.
'"This effort. as / have said, should
not be an impossible policy, since the
agreements of Locarno. With respect
to these, the most hopeful of recent
developments, the promise lies in the
means available for carrying them out
through the machinery provided for
the peaceful adjustment of controver-
sizes between the parties. In promot-
ing, as we should promote, the max
ing of agreements designed to prevent
war, it is necessary to remember that
this effort will depend for it's success