The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-07-28
THE ALTERNATIVE TO ARMS

Generally speaking we are among
those who regret that the nations of the
earth find it necessary to spend billions of
dollars every year for armament. We are
not among those who ask that this country
refrain from such expenditures.
There was time when people had
some reason to believe that nation with.
out the means of defense was sreasonably
safe in its territorial possessions That day
has passed It's demise is marked by dead
bodies in Manchukuo, Ethiopia and Spain.
We believe that strong navy and pre-
pared army are necessary if the United
States does not want to invite European
powers to take over portions of South and
Central America.
Like it or not, we must face facts in
dealing with our world. Germany, Italy,
Japan and possibly other countries today
would not hesitate to use force as method
of securing national ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The
only thing that would prevent them from
running roughshod over some other nation
would be the power of the other nation to
defend itself. If we are to maintain our
selves in the world then the United States
,mustIbe adequately armed for effective
defense.
The Presidents of the United States,
i'm the last decades, have done everything
p9ssibleto prevent an armament race They
have not succeeded The United States
has done what it could to develop a better
feeling among the nations in the hope
that this would remove distrust and sus.
picion and lead to peace. We have tried
to build up international trade as method
of preventing war. None of these policies
can be called complete failures but neither
can they, at this time, be termed success
full.
The only alternative that we can see
today to a continued race between the
great nations of the world is the establish.
ment Of an armed peace, backed if neces.
sary by sufficient strength to make it eff.
fective and supreme over any challenge.
That nations could go into such an under
taking is doubtful Whether the people Of
this country would countenance American
participationsi such power-act for peace
is uncertain, but as an effort to avoid con.
tinued ornaments and unnecessary ex.
pense the idea might be considered.
We do not think that any effective
pact could be arranged that would guar
antee frontiers because this would guar.
antee frontiers because this would involve
too many implications. However, it is not
beyond the possibilities that the United
States, Great Britain, France and such
other nations as might be willing to abide
by the established rules of international
dominate oceanic trade. This force would
be able to prevent overseas expansion that
would tend to interfere with equal trade
opportunities, such as is the case with Jap
anese operations in Manchukuo and North
China, the Italian undertaking in Ethiopia
and the decentralization filtration with
Gen. Franco.
+ 9 Such concert of powers, acting for
definitely restricted purposes, and using
naval strength almost exclusively, could
exert tremendous force for peace in the
world However, there must be no hesi-
fancy to use ships and guns if necessary
to maintain the status sought and to let
recalcitrant nations know that they are
dealing with fighting unit not system
of diplomatic protests.