The Daily News. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1920. REDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1920. REDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS.

Pew of the questions which the League of Nations has to deal with present, such an almost hopeless prospect as the reduction of armaments, for the obvious reason that what are generally known as the great military Powers are obsessed with the military mania for aggrandisement, and it is that mania to which is due the perpetual menace of war. The creation of the League was primarily for the purpose of preventing warfare, and as one of the most potent safeguards of peace is the elimination of the military spirit, the natural policy of the League would be directed to reducing to the lowest possible limit the armed forces of all the nations. The report of the Armaments Commission set up by. the' League recognised the impossibility of framing a comprehensive scheme for at once reducing the burden of armaments, owing to the world's disturbed condition, more especially -as some of the great military Powers are at present outside the League. It has, therefore, suggested that progress towards the desired end'must be effected in successive stages, commencing with a general agreement Hot to Rxoeed the Dresent scale of

armament, followed by a proportionate and simultaneous reduction of existing military Budgets, and finally accomplishing, under the League's supervision, a comprehensive and scientific reduction to the lowest point compatible with national security. The peace terms imposed on Germany are sufficiently drastic to fit in with the aim of the League, provided they are loyally observed. The German authorities, however, are exercising all their wits to evade both the letter and the spirit of these terms, and it rests with the Allies, in view of the i vital necessity Mr preserving peace, to strictly enforce the provisions for disarmament, and against the manufacture of munitions and warlike equipment. The League, on this matter, is brought face to face with the anomaly that its chief initiator—the President of the United States—is powerless to support the League's policy. America has not joined the League, and can therefore with impunity thwart its great mission by means of supplying armaments' to the nations barfed from manufacturing arms. How such a great republic as the United States can reconcile its attitude on this question with the principles of democracy cannot be conjectured, but it is sincerely to be hoped that the new President will lose no time; .after taking office, in putting an end to a position that should never have arisen, and that America will join the League. The adoption of the Armaments Commission's report is satisfactory so far as it goes, but there should be many who will agree with the remarks made by Mr. Barnes to the effect that he would rather the report had exhibited less prudence and a little more pluck. It is quite possible that, in view of the disturbed condition of the world, it was deemed impolitic to endanger national security by too drastic a reduction' of armaments, l!t is significant that Japan's withdrawal of her opposition to the mandates is attributed to the desire to secure the renewal of the Anglo-Japanese alliance on the most favorable terms, and this may be taken as an indication that more reliance is being placed on the Allied Powers in preserving peace than in the accomplishment of that object by the League. There can be no question that for many years to come the maintenance of peace must rest with the Allies, and if they are to succeed in preventing warfare they must have the necessary armed forces for that purpose. The burden will be heavy, but is inevitable.