The Daily Alaska empire., 1928-12-24
WILL BRITAIN LEAD FOR
 DISARMAMENT.

The Manchester Guardian, one of the reall great newspapers of the world, says the Worl War was fought because European countri' were so well armed and evenly matched in mitar strength that each country feared annihiliatio if the other got in the first blow. They feare war less than they feared each other
 If there had been previous disarmament the extent that no country had been prepare for offensive war there would have been no wa because the differences would have been adjaste before any country could have prepared itse to invade another.
 The English paper thinks there has neve been time when universal limitation of arm was as easy of accomplishment now, and calls upon Great Britain to take the lead 1 bringing il about. It says:
 Although the danger of general war still exists, it is not immediate as it was in 1914. Conventions that were hardly dreamt of then have since into existence. The inviolabiity of the often violated frontier between France and Germany is guaranteed by Great Britain and Italy The League of Nations is more general guarantee that, imperfect it is would prob ably have averted war in 1914 had it existed then Tsarist Russia, the most ruthessly aggressive power of modern times. has foundered, and the new Russia has been weakened by wars 4 revolutions, famines,- and theories that j it could not be aggressive if it wished to be. Imperial Germany, the greatest military power ever known has become a republic with fleet that is little more than a coast patrol and army that is little than constabulary, while the great moral influence of Germany is now all in favor of disarmament. The United States have built up formidable navy in little than decade. but they have used their influence against the growth of armaments. Italy is a great military and naval power. She has a government that is warlike in it's words but has no obstacle to disarmament. Indeed. Italy has all along been willing to ac- cept any limitation, however drastic that would not make her weaker than any single continental power Japan is remote and almost immune from at tack. She is military and naval power with warlke traditions and yet no power has been more willing to con slider schemes of limitation than she has
 But what of France and Great Bri- tain? France cannot forget that she has been three times invaded by Ger man armies She still fears Germany and sees her safety in the mili- tary preponderance of herself and her allies Her conception of peace is that of the armed peace. That being so there is little chance that she will take the lead in promoting universal disarmament. The lead can be taken by Great Britain alone Her status as world-wide imperial power her posi- tion between the Old World and the New, aoof from Europe and yet close to Europe, her immense moral author ity, and her greatness as an economic military, and naval power give her Gin the world as it is now) an opportunity Tor leadership such nation ever had. Like others. she is in honor pledged by the League Covenant and by the Treaty of Versailles to promote dis armament. Disarmament is also in her own interests for victorious war in- lures her as it injures all, while the evolution of naval and aerial warfare may, in time expose her to defeat by any power with suitable bases and enough aeroplanes, fast cruisers and submarines. Thus honor and interest urge her to promote disarmament even idealism does not. Any power stand ing in the way of progressive limita- ton would drift into isolation that would in time grow intolerable No other powers could resist scheme of naval disarmament agreed to between Great Britain, the United States and Japan With the help of the United States. Japan. the defeated countries and those who were neutral in the war disarmament land could at least he gin. But these things will not come Of themselves they cannot be done without leadership, and Great Britain alone can give the leadership that ia necessary.