Evening star., 1935-01-20
Disarmament Pact Is Essential,
Mrs. Laura P. Morgan Contends
AdrOcate of Peace Sees
European Race as
alternative.
Holds Japanese Problem
Is One for World to
Straighten Out.
BY GRACE HENDRICK EUsTIs.

BY GRACE HENDRICK EUSTIS.
A disarmament treaty is absolutely
necessary to insure peace in Europe
and prevent France and Germany
from having an uncomfortable arma-
ments race, Mrs. Laura Puffer Nor
gan, associate secretary for the Ma
tional Council for the Prevention of
War, believes.
Next Thursday afternoon, Mrs.
Morgan will address the tenth Con-
ference on the Cause and Cure of
War on prerequisites to Disarma-
ment." The foremost of these, she
says, are that Germany return to the
Disarmament Conference and that
France and Germany break their
political deadlock. The fact that the
Saarlanders have voted themselves
into Germany may help relieve the
tension.
Claims Issues Dodged.
The reason that the Disarmament
Conference has failed so far, she said,
is because, actually, it is a political
conference and the powers have not
yet been willing to face the issues.
This dates back to the Treaty of Ver-
sailleS, in whose preamble it was
pledged that the diSarming of Ger
many was only step toward world
disarmament This, in Germany's
eyes, was made binding by a letter
substantiating this, written by Glenn
enceau, president of the Peace Con-
ference, in behalf of the allied and
associated powers. Obviously this
promise has not been kept and Ger
many has flown the coop.
France believes. on the other hand,
that this part of the treaty is not
binding because the United States
did not come into the League of Ma
tions and give her the security of our
taclt support.
Limitation Sole Hope.
Now, explains Mrs. Morgan, 1t is
too late for anything but limitation
of armamentS. The heavily armed
nations are not going to disarm.
What they will strive for is an equali-
ty of ornaments, balance, and this
is excessively difficult in a continent
where there are four nations COM
pletely disarmed; namely, Germany,
Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria, she
said.
This problem is acute enough, she
added, without the added investiga-
tion of the munition manufacturers,
particularly in France, where, except
for the Socialist papers, the bulk of
the press is controlled by the great
munition interests, who will sell arms
to Germany and then turn around
and frighten the people with tales of
how Germany is arming itself. Mrs
Morgan is not of the school of
thought that believes the defeat of
disarmament is attributable to mu-
nitions makers. They accelerate the
possibility of war. but they do not
cause it.
Though this sounds hopeless, de-
pressing, Mrs. Morgan says there are
indications of a dim light ahead. In
the first place there is assurance in
the words of President Roosevelt, in
terpreted to the disarmament con-
ference in May, 1888, by Norman
Davis, when he said that the United
States would agree to consultation in
case OF breach of peace, would not
hinder any collective action taken by
other powers and would waive neu-
trality rights. This is the first note
of security we have given France
since the treaty of Versailles.
Also, America has submitted pro-
posals to the nations belonging to
the conference for separate treaties
dealing with the regulation and con-
troll of the manufacture of and trade
in arms and the establishment of a
permanent Disarmament Commits
sion.
Unperturbed by Japan.
When asked her reaction to the
Japanese abrogating the Naval
treaty, Mrs. Morgan seemed unper-
turbed.
THE economic position Of Japan
Is difficult" she stated. "I think the
problem of our relations with Japan
can only be solved as a world ques-
ton. After all, naval disarmament
is only a part of world disarmament"
International politics is the breath
of life to Mrs. Morgan. Beginning
at the time of the war, when she ar
ranged the first Women's Liberty
Loan Conference in Washington, she
has travelled the length and breadth
of Europe, studying, speaking (while
in England she talked on the peace
movement before a specially invited
gathering in the House of Parlia-