Evening star., 1932-01-11
ARMS CUT APPEAL
IS MADE At RALLY
Few Dissenting Voices Heard
to Plea That u. S. Take
Lead at Geneva.

a small chorus Of diSSentS, were aQ-
dressed to the United States delegation
to the forthcoming Geneva conference
at a PacifstS' rally yesterday called by
the Womens International League LOT
Peace and Freedom.
To the peace-cheering mass thaV
hacked the BelaSco Theater, opposite
the White House, Americas only woman
delegate to the Geneva Arms Confer
ence, Or. Mary Emma Woolley, urged
that she be supported in her efforts
at Geneva to galvanize the Nation 10
responsibility as individuals" for what
happens there.
When she concluded her brief appeal,
the audience, which consisted mostly OF
women, adopted with applause, yet not
without dissenting voices, resolution
asking President Hoover to instruct the
American delegation to take the lead
ership."
This action followed a proposal by
Oswald Garrison Willard, editor Of the
Nation and a leading Paciflst that
America seek a straight so per cent re-
ouction in armamentS. He was one OF
a dozen speakers include SllaS
Strawn, president Of the United states
Chamber of Commerce; Ruth Nichols:
the aviatriX, and representatives OF
business and professional women, farm
ers.. the American Legion and church
leaders.
Mrs. Potts Voices Dissent.
The rising vote on the resolution came
after two hours of bristling speeches.
BEFORE It happened. however, a woman's
voice from a balcony box was heard to
say that the talk represented only one
side" Of this question.
THE woman who goes to Geneva -
the speaker rose and faced Mrs. Woolley
across the crowded audience-"doeS not
renresent the American women, VINO
never will consent to disarmament be-
fore the rest Of the world does it"
Later the impromptu speaker ldentl-
fed herself as Mrs. Thomas Potts, preSl-
dent Of the National Patrlotlc CouncA.
AS Mrs. Potts resumed her seat another
arose, giving her name as Mrs. FRED
eric harrington and as "repreSenInls no
organization" She announced her op-
position to the resolution.
II do not think it is up to the dele
cation to tell the President what ne
should do" Mrs. harrington said.
Mrs. Woolley who was appointed TO
the delegation by President Hoover,
told the assemblage you Will nave 10
carry on. not only for our delegation
but for the others of the other nations"
Hughes Example Cited.
Willard asserted he could mot under
stand" why the United States should
not start the ball rolling at Geneva
with "an immediate leap" such as
former Secretary of State Hughes made
at the outset Of the washington Naval
Conference Of 1922.
Away from the disarmament meeting,
Representative Ruth Bryan Owen,
daughter of william Jennings Bryan,
announced that if opposition to appro-
priating $3.50 900 to pay expenses OF the
Geneva delegation arises on the floor
or the House, she would speak for the
expenditure.
economic questions is the fact that the
great preponderance of money paid IN
taxation goes to pay for past wars or to
prepare for future wars" Mrs. owen
saio.
In tightening that burden by agree
ment between nations as TO curtallment
of the armament program, DEFINITE
step Is being taken toward the solution
of the economic problems, and toward
the prevention of international cata-
cylisms which mean poverty and war"
Manned Veteran Appears.
For a brief moment human sympa-
thies were swayed at the rally by the
appearance on the stage Of war
manned veteran, Frank A. Schrepfer OF
Philadelphia, commander of the Harold
D. Speakman Post Of the American
Legion CNarberth, Pa, and a member
of the faculty of the University OF
Pennsylvania.
Blind and with one sleeve dangling
at his side, the veteran told of how he
was manned and his five closest friends
filled as they stood together on the
side of a hill in Flanders, one sunny
October day in 1918.
There is no profit in war" he said.
"There is no glory in war. In war,
men die in vain"
Mrs. Gerard Swope of New York,
chairman of the Committee on Ar
rangementS. opened the meeting and in
troduced Mrs. Mildred Scott Olmsted
OF Philadelphia, who presided in the
absence of Lillian Wald, head Of the
Henry Street Settlement, New York.
A cross-section of public opinion IA
voring disarmament was voiced by
speakers Members of the Honorary
Committee sponsoring the meeting m
cluded Jane Addams and DR.. Nicholas
Murray Butler winners of the Nobel
IEdCG EI4Dc 4DI 1901 OSdLI t1CIC4 aAL
Manning of Bryn MaWr College and
others equally prominent, including DR..
John A. Ryan of the National Catholic
Welfare Council; DR.. Sidney Gulick of
the Federal Council Of Churches. Mr..
and Mrs. Duncan Phillips, Mrs. Edward
P. Costigan, Mrs. Richard Wainwright
and Mrs. Charles Edward Russell, all
of Washington.
Estimates Armaments Costs.
Mr. Strawn assured the audience that
for moral and humanitarian reasons the
business men Of the world have always
insisted on the reduction Of armaments
and the settlement of international con-
troversies by peaceful means. He esti-
mated the total world expenditures on
armaments today as S4,500,000 600.
Business women also have an inter
est in world peace, Mrs. Geline Mac
Donald Bowman Of Richmond, Va,
president Of the National Federation Of
Business and Professional Women'S
Clubs, declared.
Or. Sidney L. Goldstein of the Free
Synagogue of New York called upon the
delegates to Geneva to do more than
labor for a reduction in ornaments.
I'VE must increase confidence in the
machinery Of peace" he added.
Rev. Francis J. Haas OF Washington,
director of the National Catholic School
Of Social Service, concluded his remarks
with a statement that the Geneva Con-
ference puts the question squarely to
the American people-namely, whether
it will remain as 1t is in the wild West
stage" or settle differences through the
orderly processes Of law,
Other speakers included Rev. Russell
J. Clinchy, pastor Of the Mount Pleasant
Congregational Church Of this city: Mrs
Ben Hooper, chairman of the Interna-
tional Relations Committee of the Gen
eral Federation Of Women's Clubs, and
Miss Katherine Devereux Blake of New