Evening star., 1928-03-10
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

OF the legitimate and essential demands
for chemicals which would be barred
from commerce, under the proposed
resolution. lest some belligerent get the
''makings" OF some kind Of munitions.
The chairman Of the foreign affairs
committee Of the House, Mr.. Porter,
exempts the accredited author OF the
resolution, Mr.. Burton. from response
bility for the clauses covering the phases
above referred to; Mr.. Porter explains
that he added that part, and tooE j.
from the Geneva conference plan. But
that conference, 10 which Representa-
tive Burton was a delegate. failed aoSo-
iuteIy, Great Britain denounced i.
The United States Senate never ratified
any part Of its plan. and as the wo-h
Of the League Of Nations it has TO
standing in the United States policies,
according 10 both scientific and military
authorities.
No hearings on the resolution have
been given By the committee, since both
Chairman Porter and Mr.. Burton are
experts on the subject and needed no
outside advice. The resolution has been
"indorsed' by the committee, but sew
eral members did not vote.
The project to prohibit the sale and
exoortation Of chemicals and munitions
in time of war TaS protested very en-
phatically by all the smaller nations
represented at the Geneva conference.
They argued that that would give an
unfair advantage to the great powers
which we're able 10 manufacture NUM-
tions. II the small ard weak nations.
which could not keep up such industries
in time of peace, were prohibited fTola
buying the means OF defense when al
tackled.
.horitatiVeiy said, 95 per cent OF tie
munitions are bought by our Govern
ment from private producers. and Il
their capacity IS crippled. in peace. ~
shutting of their exports-not OF mum
tons, but Of ingredients which are ids1-
teal. whether for munitions or for COM
nnercial puruoses-t.len the American
manufacturers would be in no co11i-
ton to supply our own means OF &C.
fense against war attacks.
The United States was the only great
power which declined 70 sign The Hague
peace agreement barring aSphyxiatinS
gases: Germany signed 1t, and broke
her pledge at Ypres. Can she be trusted
never 70 break q similar pledge IN the
future?
1ESEc WAS E44 A2Ac A@sA A@AA
Age. April II. 1925, written by Ludoytc
Naudeau. from which the following Is
extracted:
1T is OF little practical value 70 COM
pute just how many months it would
take Germany, If she were free from
military inspection, 70 re-eCuip herself
completely for war. You will note that
say months for our military experts
assure ME that it would not requi-s
much more than year.
Us not every one OF the IS eco chs-,i-
cal factories in Germany an arsenal n
itself? During the last war three
folrths OF The explosives used were sup
piled by private factories cut o. ths!S
regular line of products"
The Hague convention OF 1907 dis
tiGctly declared that there IS no rsa-
son for prohibiting or interfering with
the commerce OF neutral state" It
must be borne IN mind that not ore o.
the articles. acids or cotton. copper or
steel. which wou,d be stopped from
commerce whenever there Is war ANY
where. but that is used even more =
peaceful commerce than FOR war pu--
poses, and there is absolutely 70 6if.s:-
ence In the ingredients.
x& -
America refuses 60 supply munitions
10 any rSToIut.ogsiSeS rgAsIIlS rSSCSGlESj
governments. but never have We put Sil
embargo or American exports - Scy-
ernmcntS o. 70 general commerce. ex-
cept Cnce, when. II 1893. there wSs
declared az embargo. as 3 means ~
combating Great Erisair'S tyranny
upon the seas, No experts nor i:nccriS
were permitted. New England. depend
ent upon commerce. suffered eSpcciSl
har<!ShiyS nom the anaihi,atSc,l cs al
exports. and was On the verge os
rebellion. Eas an the country suffered
ShriOSags Of values. Senator J. 4.
Rayard of Delaware declared III me
Senate, III 1909, that through the eyl.-
hArSo the National Treasury had iNSs
$lS.o0o. .0oo and she entire C<,a,l.-y ysos
less than sac. .o0e,oc
As eur population as that time Was
Aniy 6,o0o.o00 ard now Is twenty sirass
aS much, opponents of the resolution
declare, the ruin cs al embargo today
would ee IL proportion: ~. SAner ccns-
tu2rce Is even greater n proportion. to-
day. compared with csAs- sources cf
wealth, than il WAS Century aSo. ths
pgN,sNagt.ta ~ lrS$ eeGld hardy -
estimated. While she caly y>sAcS-sSscs
II would have wps,ld N tire "hanaSsriag-
inS' ~ she smaller nations
tCrywv{SAt. IgS> Nv lsA,,t V. Cc,',e.N