Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-03-22

Vigorous protests against the Burton resolution, re-
Gently introduced in congress. prohibiting the ~eSrorta-
ton Of arms and munitions, was voiced by Secretary Of
War Davis and Secretary Of the Navy Wilbur when
called before the foreign relations committee q the
house which Is considering the resolution. II j. under
stood that Secretaries Kellogg and Hoover are also I'M
friendly to the bill, but will not be called before the
committee.
Secretary Tilbur held that the United States is an
arms producing country. and that there arc a number
Of small countries, especially on the American CONT
nent, that arc not arms producing countries. re a.
serted that II Il accepted as 4 legitimate RIGHT and
need that these countries must be supplied with arms
munitions and Implements Of war for administerinz'
policing and safeguarding the country and for their
defense during war.
Secretary cf War Davis stated that the question of
munitions IL the most complex IN TIM preparation Tor
war. and that ne viewed the munitions industry as =
vitality essential element in national security. We
have been inclined to look upon man-power as the chief
part Of an army he said, -but man-power without
munision power would be almost impotcnt. War sup
plies are of the most importance in an army, and lack
Of adequate equipment may easily mean the differences
between victory and defeat"
There are two ways Of supplying war munitions,
either through private plants or government arsenals,
and congress has repeatedly Indicated il did not care
70 provide for the maintenance ~ governmental plants
for the manufacture Of munitions. The government
arscnals during The wcrld war supplied only 10 per
cent OF our needs. ard the country was forced 70 rely
upon private plants fer 90 per cent Of the munitions
with which We maintained our army in the field Both
the navy and war secretaries held that the Burton
resolution would cripple private industry and reduce
the effectiveness of national defense.
That the smaller nations VIII secure all the arms and
munitions they may desire or can buy, regardless Of
whether the United States imposes an embargo upon
the American arms industry. a apparent. Europe has
hirhly efficient factories merely awaiting an opportuni-
~ ~ exploit the field. German, French, English and
Swiss arms manufacturers would welcome the oppor-
aunity to enter the field new controlled hy the Ameri-
can industry. and their methcd Of exploitation woaid
not be conducive to world peace. in fact, the United
States has On several occasions asccrtahned the willing
ness of European arms manufacturers TO aid some pros
porous but hciicose little country to start a nice little
war merely to create a market for their munitions.
There are times when the American government Is
fully justified in imposing an embargo upon arms ship
nents, but to make this fixed rchcy i another mat
ter. The fact that many Of the smaller countries. e.
pecially those cf TIE western hemisphere, have not been
forced to place their orders with European manufac-
turers and come under the influence Of the industry IN
Europe has doubtless been responsible to some degree
for the cessation Of revolutions and the more prosper
Gus conditions obtaining in thse small nations. II
those countries need arms for police purposes or na-
tional defense, they viii secure them. II they cannot
get them frcm The United States. they viii buy in
Europe. and European industries mag be inclined %
create a market where no market now exists.