500.A15A4 Steering Committee/155: Telegram
The American Delegate (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 17—1:05 p.m.]
461. At the Bureau meeting this morning Mr. Davis spoke as follows:
“Mr. President, I do not rise to comment on the very interesting and most important statements made by the British Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sir John Simon,29 nor do I take this occasion to discuss the significant statement made by Monsieur Paul-Boncour at a recent meeting of this Bureau.30 I merely rise now, Mr. President, to associate the American delegation wholeheartedly with the analysis which you have made of the problems which face this Conference.
We must not lose sight of the fact that this Conference was called for the express purpose of reducing and placing a limit upon armaments. It is now almost 10 months since the Conference opened. During the time many technical questions have been threshed out, many differences of opinions reconciled and agreements have been reached on some most important questions of principle. It has been agreed in principle that there must be a substantial reduction and limitation upon all branches of arms and yet we have not reached the point of the actual drafting of the general treaty giving effect to the principles that are recognized.
It is generally recognized that the only legitimate and useful purpose for which a nation should maintain armaments is for self-defense. It is also recognized that armaments may reach a point where they cease to give security. Instead they may create political tensions which promote insecurity. It is therefore evident that one of the most essential factors to a genuine security is that the burden and menace of armaments shall be reduced.
[Page 394]When this Conference met the depression from which the entire world is suffering seemed to be at its height. Unfortunately there has been no appreciable improvement during all of the months we have been here and in some respects the economic difficulties have become more intense. While it cannot be said that the burden and menace of armaments were the primary cause of this depression it is becoming increasingly evident that they were a contributing cause of conditions which brought on the depression and that a reduction and limitation of armaments would contribute tremendously to recovery from the depression.
In spite of the fact that Germany, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria were to a great extent disarmed after the World War the expenditures on armaments are greater today than they were before the war. The time has come not only to call a halt but to make substantial reductions.
Although armaments may not have been the direct cause of all the misery in the world today caused by the unbearable burden of public and private debt the stagnation of trade and commerce and the unparalleled unemployment, we are not going to pull very far out of this depression unless we reduce armaments and make a genuine success of this Conference. If this depression from which every nation is suffering today is not cured it will soon bring upon each and every nation further social, financial and economic difficulties which will be more of a menace to national safety and welfare than any fear of external military aggression.
The world is not in a condition nor are the people in a state of mind to stand a failure of this Conference. There is no nation that would not suffer from such a failure.
Preparations are now being made for calling a world economic and monetary conference. It is important to have such a conference but its success will depend largely upon that of the Disarmament Conference and the world cannot wait much longer for this success.
While the United States of America is not disturbed by any danger of invasion nor so directly concerned as are many other nations in a removal of the dangers of armaments we have however a genuine and vital interest in the peace and prosperity of the world. We have accordingly worked conscientiously for the success of this Conference and expect to continue patiently and earnestly in such efforts in collaboration with all the other nations so long as there is reason to hope for success.
The plan presented some months ago by the President of the United States, that of the French Government, which we have just received, and the pronouncements made today by Sir John Simon, are all inspired by the determination to effect a substantial reduction in armaments. They have all helped to bring the Conference face to face with the real issues before us. With this initiative which has been given to our work it is doubly incumbent upon us to take advantage of this situation and to take the steps which are necessary to accomplish as rapidly as possible that progressive reduction of armaments to which we stand pledged in principle and which we must now put into practice. It is obvious that the successful accomplishment of this task will require the close collaboration of all [Page 395] nations and we trust that this will be so generally recognized as to facilitate regaining the cooperation of Germany in this task in which they in common with all nations have such a legitimate and vital interest”.