Scientific Disarmament

I am glad to write a few words in commendation of this book. It is a careful study of a subject which is both vitally important and extremely difficult. There is a danger that harm may be done to the cause of peace by the lack of idealism among those who know and a lack of knowledge among idealists. This book is an expression of their combination and deserves a wide public.

The book is such a scientific study of the development of armaments in the world order as may well suggest the method of approach which must be preliminary to new abolition.

This book is of great interest as a new approach to the problem of disarmament--a problem which should be studied from all angles and by all nations before the meeting of the Disarmament Conference.

Vous me demandez quelques mots de présentation pour votre ouvragre: il'est de ceux qui se présentent d'eux même! Je l'ai lu à mon premier moment de loisir, et sa lecture m'a intéressé plus que je ne pourrais dire. Vous nous avez apporté, pour la première fois je pense, une démonstration vraiment documentée de l'importance en cette matière de ce "facteur temps," de ce "Conversion lag" qu'il est tout à fait essentiel de prendre constamment en considération.

J'espère que tous ceux qui auront--prochainement, je veux le souhaiter--le redoutable honneur de rédiger la convention de réduction des armements vous lisent. Ils auront l'avis d'un expert dont la science égale la bonne volonté, et qui mérite ainsi doublement d'être écouté.

It is to be hoped that all who are interested in Disarmament will read this book for it attacks the problem from a new angle. Discussions have till now proceeded from the political point of view. We have generally assumed that the way of achieving disarmament is by reduction either of numbers or of cost, or both. The main difficulties considered have been the extent to which reduction would be accepted and the method of ensuring that a reduction once accepted would be carried out. Round these central difficulties have raged the controversies about conscription, 'supervision, security, and the rest. But another and equally essential matter has been largely overlooked which our author calls disarmament of type. Granted a scheme of disarmament resting on numbers and cost is in force it will still be possible to renew competition with all its attendant evils by improvement of type, by better methods of manufacture, by new inventions, especially perhaps in the domain of chemical warfare. Here is a formidable problem. How will it advantage the world if the armies, navies and air forces are reduced both in number and cost, both in personnel and material, if by the

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