The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-02-19
LONDON PARLE
FOUNDATION FOL
FUTURE ACTION
Temporary Arms Increase
May Be Result of
Conference.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
seripps-Howard Foreign Editor

LONDON, Feb. 19.-Ths writer
believes it is possible now to state
fairly and precisely what the best
thinkers and the most farsighted
statesman among the delegations
here hops the naval conference will
accomplish.
AS forecast long ago, It seems
that the conference will result tenn
porarily at least in an increase
rather than q reduction In naval
ornaments. 1t will cost the United
States probably around half bill
lion dollars, France half of that,
Italy half of that, and Japan half
of that by 1886. But a cost Of
billion dollars is dirt cheap II
satisfactory limitation agreement is
reached.
The vision squirting the real mas
ter minds in this parley Is not the
amount of money to be saved now
but the establishment of an under
standing out of which the 1885 con-
ference can start a real scaling
down process, and every conference
thereafter can continue, eventually
reaching virtual disarmament with
colossal economy to taxpayers.
Basis Needed
The point emphasized Is this:
Once navies are standardized and
proportioned by common agreement,
further proportional reductions will
become comparatively easy. 1t is
pointed out here for example that
all of the five powers agreed quickly
on the reduction of battleshipS and
other boats, because they already
had the Washington understanding
from which to start.
Similarly, the tonnages Of cruisers,
destroyers and submarines may be
reduced in the future, providing
that a satisfactory basis can be es-
tablished here.
What might appear to be a costly
agreement now, therefore, should
prove a big money saver in the long
run.
In fact, it is argued that once a
proper foundation is laid, armament
reduction can proceed just as rapid
ly as world opinion can travel. The
reason why Limitation" here must
be up to the British navy's instead
Of down to Americas, is due phi
marily to the fact that British pub
lie opinion is so touchy on the ques-
ton of the fleet that Premier Mac
Donald would be ousted II he cut
into it draStically. Neither japan
nor France would accept proper
tionate reductions, even If MacDon-
aid took the lead.
Demand Decreases
Secretary Stinson in the same
way dare not do certain things here
because the senate, which Is elected
by the people, would refused to rat
ify his actions. Premier Tardieu
would be overthrown in twenty-four
hours by the chamber Of deputies
If he trimmed Frances demands
without a security pact which the
French consider essential TO their
national defense. The same thing
Is true with Italy and Japan.
Thus the big thing here and now,
according to the master minds, is
to find q common ground for a
general limitation agreement, then
for all nations to promote the feel
ing of world security in every way
possible, so that every five years or
so as world opinion develops, 1t
win be possible to reduce arn1a-
ments just a peg farther.
The leaders base their faith not
on one institution, but on many
on the League Of Nations, the Kel-
Iogg pact, World court treaties, and
the Locarno Pacific and Far East
ern pacts. All these and many other
agencies, it is pointed out, constant
" are adding to the international
sense Of security and precisely as
this increases, the national demand
Tor armament decreases.