Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 5 March 1927, Page 2

Onk of the most important i| nest inns selected liy the League of Nations for v discussion by representatives of tlie , Powers is the limitation of the maitut facture of arms. A northern paper believes that the alleged influence of • munition and aimamont firms in promoting and encouraging wars has been grossly exaggerated. But it. can - hardly he denied that the safest and most rational course to pursue in regard to all weapons and equipment that can he used in war would he for the Governments of the various coin tries to control their production and l distribution. This apparently, is the t object that the League has in view, ' and the conference on this question - which is to meet at Geneva in a forli night’s time may prove to he a definite . stop forward in the direction of world . P 0! - Tn spite of persistent refusal to join the League, the United States i Got eminent has accepted the invitation to send delegates to this conference. Tt must he admitted that the Americans have safeguarded their position lieforehnnd with great care. They assume that the purpose of the conference will he principally to arrange

for the compilation of statistics and other material evidence bearing on the private manufacture of arms, and they warn the League that they will md agree to “any form of international control of the manufacture of arms” in the United States. This last proviso might well suggest an opening for the cynics and satirists who delight to analyse the less obvious and less respectable motives of mankind. For as a matter of fac-t there is no country in the world weliere the Government seems to have so little control as is exercised

in the use of deadly weapons Not only revolvers and repeating rifles, but bombs, and even machine guns, have ‘ played a conspicuous part in American f industrial and social difficulties of ' late, and if the Americans object, to 1 “international control” they might at ' least attempt, to check these dangerous abuses on their own account. However, ( the participation of the Americans in s the business of the League, in however s limited a way, is a welcome and en- t cournging sign of the world-wide longin.g For stability and peace.