The Daily News TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1921. LESS ARMAMENT; NO WAR!

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1921, Page 4

The Daily News TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1921. LESS ARMAMENT; NO WAR!

“We want less armament, and no war.” In these ringing words President Harding voiced the hopes and aspirations of the United States at the opening of the Armament Conference at Washington at the end of last week. The scene and the occasion mark a phase in-.the history of the world that will be made memorable for all time in history. If, as is devoutly to be hoped, the conference achieves its main aim, a new era will be opened up, in 1 which reason, consciousness and fellowship will take the place of passion and arrogance on the part of the nations. “The world,” said the American President, “has swung along through the ages unheeding the call to mitigate the blight of armament competition. . . . I welcome you in bright faith that we have met for the service of mankind, and that, in all simplicity, all honesty and all honor, there may be written here an avowal that the world’s conscience has been refined by the consuming fires of war, and made sensitive by the anxious aftermath.” The theme was worthy of the most noble and sincere sentiments, and it must be universally conceded that both the President and his Secretary for State (Mr. C. E. Hughes) rose to the occasion with a befitting sense of the immense importance of a Conference that, as the President aptly remarked, “is an earnest of the awakened conscience of twentieth eentnry civilisation.” He rightly emphasised that it was not a convention or council seeking to remake human-kind, but a “coming together of men from all parts of the earth to apply the bettei- attributes of mankind in order to minimise the faults of international relationship.” No 'aim could be more modest, yet fraught with transcending on the peace and good will of the nations, besides giving full scope for human progress and well-being. Such a gathering of representatives of the nations of the world means much in itself, and adds force to the stirring and pathetic note which characterised President Harding’s reference to the call to the Conference being one “from a war-weary world, hungering and thirsting for the better relationship of humanity, crying for relief, and seeking an assurance of lasting peace.” That the United States is earnest and sincere in this grand effort to limit armaments in the cause of peace and prosperity, was placed beyond all question when Secretary Hughes surprised the conference by an-

nouncing, on behalf of the American Government, definite proposals embodied in four general principles for the limitation of naval armaments, and intimating that if, 1 this plan were accepted, the Uni-; ted States would scrap fifteen! ships which were under construction, totalling 618,000 tons, and on which three hundred and thirty million dollars had already been ■ spent, besides scrapping fifteen old battleships: ThAt is America’s; practical lead in armament limit-j ation, contingent on Britain and; Japan making corresponding re- 1 ductions within three months of the signing of the agreement; Bii-

tain to cease further construction of four new battleships, scrap all pre-Dreadnoughts and second line battleships, while Japan abandons her programme of capital ships not yet laid down, scraps three battleships and four battle cruisers, also all pre-Dreadnoughts and second line battleships. It will be seen that, if this scheme is carried out, it recognises and affirms the principle of the superiority of the British Navy, for Britain will have twenty-two battleships, while America will have only eighteen and Japan ten. It is equally important to note that the proposals include a drastic elimination of replacements for a decade, and thereafter an effective limitation whereby the burdens of naval armaments will be lifted to such an extent that they will hardly be felt at all, while “no pride need be humbled, and no nationality submerged.” It is a bold yet practical and commonsense scheme that will give the Conference a reliable basis of operations. The only point that is likely to create doubt is the nature of the guarantee that the Powers concerned will adhere to and faithfully carry out the compact. There has never been the slightest doubt that if America, Japan and Britain arrived at a common understanding as to naval armaments, and practically joined hands to preserve the world’s peace, the object in view would be attained. America will not enter into an alliance, but may evolve some method equally binding and effective. Without that there will be small hope of the Conference being a success. Having gone so far on the right road, the United States must'be logical as to the remainder o,f her duty. The Pacific problem has wisely been relegated to a committee, so that there seems to be every prospect of the Conference bearing good fruit and earning the gratitude of a warweary and financially distressed world.