The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-11-11
Armed Truce 1918-199O

On this twelfth anniversary Of the armistlce' ao-
dresses are being made around the world on the great
neace advances made since 1918 AS evidence there
viii he cited such achievements the League OF
Nations the Locarno security treaties, the world court
the Kellogg pact, and the Washington and London
naval treaties.
No friend Of peace will sheer at those achievements
But no person informed Of the facts OF the present
world situation will accept those institutions and
treaties as ADEQUATE The discouragng aspect of the
situation is that despite these peace achievements
there is more danger of world now than at any
other time since signing of the armistice
All basic causes which have produced past wars are
present today-natonal fears and eaousies the sense
of Injustice and revenge socaed stolen terri
tories oppressed ninorities trade rvaries and con-
ict over raw materials the despair of nations loaded
with debts which they hope to cancel the temptation
of rulers who fear the rising tides of Fascsm and
Communism to resort to foreign war to prevent civil
war and, finally, the armament race
our own armament bill now exceeds $741 100000
annually an increase over pre-war days of 161 per
cent. This according to the official statement OF
President Hoover is "he largest military budget of
any nation in the world today"
According to the senate appropriations committee,
the total appropriations the last session of con-
gress for preparations for and results of war" were
S83 96or about 70 per cent of our total nation
al expenditures.
Virtually all the European powers steadily have
increased their armament budgets and are continuing
to do So Deducting Germany, now partially disabled
by force the European countries are spending
on ornaments annually $2,37OOOO0OO, compared with
S1S7SoOO,OOO pre-war.
The European nations are not spending these vast
sums on armament for the fun of it-indeed most OF
them are so close to bankruptcy that they dare not
waste penny But they feel that they have choice
other than to prepare for war which they consider
inevitable.
And that after all, is the only real test Of the
worlds boosted peace institutions and Of the results
of the late war to end war; If the peoples and
ernments will not rely on the peace machinery, but
continue to increase their military weapons then the
paper progress toward peace is not worth much
We could blame Great Britain and France and
Italy, who have failed to keep their treaty pledge
to G.5arm themselves as they disarmed Germany and
we could blame the smaller and European states
whose militaristic nationalism is undermining
peace.
But there is more point in blaming ourselves. Be-
cause of our superior strength and physical isolation
the United States better than any other nation,
risk arms reduction and binding peace treaties And
vet we have refused to lead where others might
follow.
We have refused to Join the league or even to
cooperate with it fully We have kept out Of the
world court We have emasculated arbitration treaties
We have refused to make the Kellogg pact binding
We have negotiated naval treaties involving increases
instead of reduction.
Unless the United States adheres to the world
court puts teeth into the Kellogg anti-war pact and
leads in joint armament reduction shall be partly
to blame for the next world war if it comes.