IS GENERAL DISARMAMENT PRACTICABLE?
When the first Great War
ended in 1918, all were agreed that such a disaster must never be allowed to
fall on the world again. The League of Nations was, formed to prevent it; and
in 1928 many nations signed the Kellogg Pact, solemnly promising never to
resort to war to settle international disputes. Conferences were held to
arrange a reduction of armaments, and even the abolishing of armaments
together, England even set an example of partially disarming, at great risk to
herself. But she was not followed by other nations; and the old, vicious arms
race began again. How does the world stand today? Two wars are actually raging,
one in the West and one in the East. The nations are once more armed to the
teeth. Europe is again an armed
Camp; and only this year
it was on the very brink of another world war. And yet the curious thing is
that nobody wants war. The crisis of September 1938 revealed that the people of
all the nations concerned, of Germany and Italy as much as of England and
France, were deadly against war. Even the most warlike national leaders protest
they do not want to go to war; and robbery, whatever their motives, they are
sincere in this. Yet the armament race goes on at an accelerated speed. Why?
The answer is Fear;
mutual distrust, suspicion and fear. No nation wants to fight, nor means to
attack; but each nation fears that the others do. So all must be prepared, and
the mad race in armaments; and, in their turn, increasing armaments cause
greater distrust and fear of one another. It is a vicious circle: fear drive
nations to increase their armaments and the increase of armaments raises fear
to panic. The very existence of huge armaments in the hands of
Nations with fear and
distrust of one another in their hearts must end in war.
Is there no way out of
this desperate muddle? So long as nations and their governments distrust and
fear on one another there is no way out. General disarmaments is quite
impracticable. To make anything like general disarmament possible, the only way
to get rid of
That mutual fear and
distrust that is the root cause of the piling up of weapons of destruction.
Nothing else will do it. All that is wanted is good will among
nations-goodwill, understanding, tolerance, trust, co-operation, friendliness.
It is change of heart on the part of all that we want. If that could be brought
about, then there would be no meaning in big guns, bombing planes, huge navies,
trained armies, poison gas, and all the diabolical weapons of modern scientific
warfare. When that Change of heart comes about, then, and only then, will
general disarmament be practicable.