Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-10
u. S. TAKES LEAD
IN DISARMAMENT
Presidents Speech Places
America in Van Seeking
Geneva Farley Success.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.


Any doubt that the United States is
interested in the success of the League
of Nations disarmament conference at
Geneva in 1892 is now removed Pres
ident Hoovers ringing utterance before
the International Chamber of Com
merce in Washington virtually puts
this country in the van Of those deter
mined to convert disarmament from a
dream into a reality. The PRESIDENT
action makes certain that the United
States will send representative dele
cation to the conference. Just how big
it should be, whether it should include
cabinet officers and Senator's, as the
London Naval Conference delegation
did, and other details, will presently
be decided. They will receive consid-
Grafton as soon as Hugh Gibson, Amer
lean Ambassador to Belgium, the dis
armament expert Of the Hoover admin
istration, reaches Washington during
the next few weeks.
President Hoover and Secretary
Stimson expect Mr.. Gibson to report
on the effect created on European gov
ernmentS and public opinion by the
Presidents Chamber Of Commerce ad-
dress. To date no Old World states
man has spoken Of the Geneva con-
ference with any fervor approximating
that of Mr.. Hoover on May e. Premiers
and foreign ministers divest themselves
of sporadic and abstract references to
the desirability of cutting down mill
tary establishments. But until the
American Presidents clarion call to
stack arms, the 1882 meeting aroused
little more than academic interest.
Issue Brought Into Open.
Mr.. Hoover has dragged 1t into the
open. BY trotting out a vivid set OF
figures, he has clothed the Geneva con-
ference with an urgent Importance. His
tabulation of the 100000 men actively
under arms. of the 10000, 900 more in
reserves, Of the 70 per cent more OF
military cost than nations were bear
ing before the World War, of the now
nearly five billion dollars" annually
spent on all arms-these are brass
tack facts that compel attention. The
State Departments dispatches from
Europe already amply indicate that II
Mr.. Hoover's plan was TO arouse sucn
attention, the plan succeeded. In the
American vernacular, the President
rang the bell.
At present two pending controversies
in Europe darken the prospects OF dis
armament results at Geneva next year.
One controversy is the unsettled quar-
rel between France and Italy over naval
tonnage. Until they compose their
differences British naval policy cannot
be determined. The British have not
surrendered their demand for two
power Standard. e., q British Meet
equal in strength to that of any two
other European fleets. The preliminary
Franco Italian agreement, patched up
at the end of last Winter largely with
the aid of British Foreign Secretary
Henderson, provided for the two-power
standard, as we'll as for putting an end
to European naval competition. AS
long as the French and the Italians re-
main at daggerS drawn the British are
In no mood to consider disarmament.
Indeed, they have to contemplate the
building of more ships under the cele-
brated "escalator" clause Of the London
limitation treaty.
The other disturbing European factor,
which tends to depopularize disarma-
ment. especially on land, is the Ger
Austrian customs union proposal.
The French and the small Central Eu-
ropean powers adjacent to Germany
and Austria firmly believe that customs
union is the forerunners of German
Austrian political union, or "AnSchluSs. p"
The French and their continental allies
of the little entente are not enthusiastic
over the idea of curtailing their de-
fenSive arrangements in the face Of
another possible pan-German threat,
however remote the rest of the world
Clike America) thinks it may be.
The continuing menace of Soviet
Russia Is yet one more factor which
Europe has to weigh when it considers
disarmament. Just now Russia is en-
visioned mainly in terms of her thrust
for industrial and agricultural power,
as contemplated by her fve-year plan.
But Russia Is already q formidable
military power Some Europeans call
her the most formidable of all, with
her overwhelming man power. She
maintains q standing army of more
than 100000 men, thoroughly and
modernly equipped, and trnbued with
the fanatical Communist ideal of
world revolution" AS all capitalist
countries are officially listed at Moscow
as enemy countries, European govern
mepts argue that they cannot leave
Russia out Of account when they are
asked TO act on such advice as Presi-
dent Hoover has just rendered.
Security Important Question.
All three Of the situations above
mentioned-the Italian British
naval controversy, the German Austrian
plans and incalculable RuSsia-are
types of the things that give point to
Europe's GROWING and unceasing de-
mand, viz, for security. Europe Graves
peace more than ever amid the endless
economic havoc wrought by the World
War, as Mr.. Hoover depicted it to the
International Chamber of Commerce
E1rNk - T..
II not the only, guarantee Of peace In
that security which comes from strong
ornaments. Ten years of the League
of Nations, four or five years of Lo-
carno, two years of Kellogg BRAND
pact-none of these supposedly peace
bringing codtrivanceS so far has proved
capable of obliterating Europe'S fears.
She prefers, no matter how burdensome
the cost in pounds, francs, liras or what
not. to place her faith in sharp swords
and dry powder. She points to the round
$500 100000 the United States lavishes
on its Army and Navy as evidence that
over here, too, we seem to retain a
healthy respect for guns and ships.
Although America, because of our
relatively tiny military establishment,
does not plan to take any active part
In actual negotiations to cut down land
armies, it Is President Hoover's plain
purpose to exhaust the United States
good ofdces in helping the military
powers to get together" at Geneva
Our role there will be the one famously
assigned himself by Bismarck at the
Berlin Conference-that of the honest
broker" There have been suggestions
that an eminent American should be
chosen to preside over the conference.
The names of Charles Evans Hughes,
Charles q Dawes and Dwight w Nor.
row are internationally mentioned In
this connection. It is not likely that
such q plan would find favor at Wash
ington. An American Craftsmanship at
Geneva would make 1t too easy, our
Government feels, for Europe to saddle
the United States with responsibility
for possible failure OF the conference.
Short of that, the Hoover speech Of
Nav 4 now stands In the record as