THE CALL FOR DISARMAMENT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19624, 19 October 1933, Page 11

THE CALL FOR DISARMAMENT.

To the Editor of ** The Ttmaru Herald ” Sir, —All nations have for many years been looking hopefully to the early consummation of universal disarmament, as the keystone of the bridge to the world's peace and prosperity, and power to those who consider themselves its chief custodians. That all experiments, as history records, lead to certain failure when the stream of human nature is dammed, or suppressed, instead of beinj carefully diverted and guided into useful channels of service to humanity, is a fact usually ignored or overlooked. That battle-scarred, war-loving nation, Germany, having nothing to lose—neither good name nor self respect—but much to gain materially from neighbouring nations on whom she is dependent for means to carry on, and which will, obviously be beyond her reach, if sunk in battleships and modem weapons of war instead of belnr invested in the luxuries common to the piping times of peace. Battleships and armed displays of power have been of questionable benefit to any nation, but have hitherto tended to Germany's downfall in a marked degree, while her most effective weapons of offence and defence have been, and are, produced secretly, silently, and camouflaged to the utmost. She preaches peace and disarmament from the housetops, while her cellars are camouflaged hives of Industry, and her back-yards nominal playgrounds for recreation and physical drill. She knows, none better, that a few pounds worth of virulent poison, skilfully applied. Is more potent as an agu of destruction than a battleship, costing millions, carelessly handled! Hitler has oeen Judiciously careful not to let his left hand know what his right hand is doing, but, according to the rule of nature, he has started something beyond his control,

and the resultant smash will shortly startle his ring-side audience. Universal disarmament must come sooner or later, and its success largely, although r;ot absolutely, depends on whether the desire comes from within or without. It is a poor philosophy which says "Thou shalt not,” without some attempt being added to demonstrate the advantages of “doing” or following the right line of conduct. Without any analysis of the conditions further East, the question arises: If Japan is not allowed to make war, how is she to be compensated for scrapping her abnormal stock of surplus munitions and warriors? She cannot rightly be included in the list of war-weary nations which mainly compose the League of Nations, and in my opinion, she is at the present moment feverishly whetting her sword for some offensive of which one can only surmise. As many of your readers are aware, as history proves, that numbers have an occult influence on the thoughts of the whole world, and can only be overcome by a knowledge of the principle or law ruling the phenomena. Number seven rules this year. It tends to make people and nations leap and afterwards look where they have landed. 1934 is ruled by eight. Its influence is peculiar. Eight is a number of attraction and repulsion, of separation, disruption, promise and menace. I do not see how war can be avoided during 1934, if it does not occur sooner. I should not be surprised to learn that submarines, etc., have already been allotted their fields of action, and only await the signal to strike. The year 1936, one of the most abnormal years of the century, like 1870, a: i 1914, is a multiple of 22, a year of aggression. If the leaders of the most influential nations happen to be ruled by number nine, as in 1892, all may be well. Every year which is a multiple of 11 has an unfortunate tendency. 1826 was the driest year in Europe on record, and 1903 was absolutely the wettest on record. Number 11 has different attributes. It is usually represented by two parallel lines which can never meet, and also, 5 plus 1 plus 5, suggests the perfect balance, or the two wings and body of a modern monoplane. 1936 favours every imaginable enterprise to an extent, unparalleled in history, but so long as verified rules of conduct are strictly adhered to, and service to humanity our sole objective, there need be no worry as to results.—l am, etc., C. H. MASON. Timaru, October 18.