Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-29
Land Armaments at Geneva.

President Hoover recently indicated.
when discussing the Geneva preliminary
disarmament commission, that the
United States interest in reduction in
land ornaments is next to nothing. He
explained that this country already
maintains a far more slender military
establishment than would be allotted us
under any conceivable limitation agree
ment. Ambassador Gibsons proposal
regarding trained reserves has, never
theless, stirred Geneva as profoundly as
his earlier announcement about naval
Limitation.
1t was mainly at the instigation of
the American spokesman that the pre-
linfinary commission Saturday decided
to exclude trained reserves" from lin
station of armies. Mr.. Gibson announced
that his Government has no objection to
booking upon trained reserves" as out
aide the, scope Of any scheme to curtail
land. as distinguished from sea, arma-
ments.
without saying, acted on the authority
Of Washington. 1t is not difncult to di-
vine the origin of his instructions. It is
to be found in the Hoover administra-
tons demand for action in the field of
international disarmament, military as
well as naval, instead of the chronic de-
lay which has steadily blocked all eff
forts in those directions. The Gibson
concession" concerning trained reserves
Is characteristic Of the whole trend of
Hoover policy, because its transparent
purpose is to pave the way to results.
Critics Of the American attitude at
Geneva charge that it represents an
about-face by the United States. This
country has always held, and still holds,
that real reduction Of land ornaments
must comprehend trained reserves
France. italy, Japan and other coun-
tries welded to CONSUMPTION have held
that maintenance Of their enormous
reservist military strength Is not incom-
patible with land Limitations. AS long as
these Numerically opposed views are
stubbornly maintained reduction of
armies is manifestly impossible.
What the United States, therefore,
has now proposed at Geneva is, in
nutshell, that the CONSUMPTION countries
which want their reservists excluded
from land limitation shall be given an
opportunity to vindicate their theory
that reduction Of armies Is neverthe-
less practicable. If it proves impracti-
cable, the opposing theory win be auto
matically indicated. Another confer
ence could, and undoubtedly would, de-
eide upon q substitute land limitation
scheme which would thenceforward
compel CONSUMPTION countries to limit
their reserves along with troops under
colors.
At any rate, Geneva seems persuaded
that the decision relating to trained
reserves clears the air and brightens
the prospect Of securing both military
and naval disarmament On the one
hand, the decision has removed appre-
tensions Of countries where conscrip-
ton Is In force and thereby improved
the chances Of agreement for reduction
Of standing armies. On the other hand,
1t has rendered CONSUMPTION govern
ments far more friendly to naval reduc-
ton, because those countries, France,
Japan and italy, lay more stress on
their armies than Great Britain and the
United States do.
Thus, far from promoting mill
tarism," as some Of Americas critics are
charging, the United States has moved
practically and tangibly in the only d.
rection which promises to convert dis
armament from . theory into condi-
ton.