THE WAR ON WAR

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 38, 13 August 1921, Page 5

THE WAR ON WAR

HARDING'S v INVITATION

PROGRESS HINDERED BY

ARMAMENTS

A MESSAGE TO THE NATIONS.

(BHIIW FRESB ASSOCIATION.—COWSWIt.)

(AVSTBAUAN • NJW ZBALANS CAJU ASSSCIATION.) .'• WASHINGTON, Uth August. President Hal-ding's formal call to the Disarmament and Pacific Conference has been despatched to the various Powers. ' The text of the invitation reads :— "The President is'deeply gratified at the cordial "response to the suggestion that' there should- be a conference on the subject of limitation of armaments, in connection with which Pacific-, and Far Eastern questions corn also 'be discussed. Productive labour's staggering economic burdens are too heavy to be borne, unless the present vast public- expenditures are greatly reduced. It is idle to anticipate stability or assurance of social justice and security of peace while wasteful, unproductive outlays deprive Labour of its just reward, and defeat reaßOnabla expectations of progress. The enormous disbursements on andl rivalries in anna* ments manifestly constitute the greater part of the encumbrance on enterprise. The national propensity for. this is inoti only without economic justification, but is a constant menace to the worldPs! peace, rather than an assurance of its preservation. Yet I do not expect a halt'in the increasing outlays unless the Powers largely concealed findl a satisfactory basis of agreement regarding limitation. The time is believed to be opportune for the Powers to approach the subject directly at the conference, and, while the question of naval armaiments may "have first, place in the discussion, other armaments will not be excluded.. It may also bo found advisable to discus! proposals whereby in the interest of humanity new agencies of warfare may be controlled. "It is the earnest wish of the United! States that through; the interchange of views at the conference it may be possible to find a solution of the Pacific and Far Eastern problems, which are of unquestioned importance at this time. Such a common understanding respecting matters which have been, and are, of international concern, may be ofc service ml promoting an enduring fnendiship among our peoples. It is not th« purpose of the United States to attempt to define the scope of th« discussion on the Pacific and Far East, but to leave; it to exchanges of opinion before the conference, in expectation that the spirit of friendship will govern the final decision. The ■ President therefore invites Britain to conference.,:at Washington on 11th November." '' ■ *

Identical Notes have been sent *to France,\ltaly, and Japan.