"Quote Me Too"

Statesmen of the Disarmament Conference debated what constitutes an "offensive weapon" at Geneva last week. Points:

French Delegate Charles Dumont: The [German] "pocket battleship" is definitely offensive.

German Delegate Baron von Rheinbaben: What about the "big ship" blockade of our ports, which was the decisive turning point of the World War?

M. Dumont: If we were speaking of the past, I might mention the invasions of France in 1870 and in 1914.

Baron von Rheinbaben: I suggest you go back to the Napoleonic wars and discover one of the greatest invasions in all history. (Business of shaking hands by M. Dumont and Baron von Rheinbaben-- later--to show their "international good will")

Rear Admiral Arthur J. Hepburn, U. S. N.: The submarine is the only really offensive naval weapon.

M. Dumont: The submarine is almost exclusively defensive! It is the poor man's weapon and the small nation's safeguard.

U. S. Senator Claude A. Swanson: We are a threat to no nation! A battleship is cheaper and more effective for defensive purposes than to build fortifications along our coastline. Battleships have saved us a great, expensive army for defense purposes.

Uruguayan Delegate Dr. Paulina Luisi: Even toy soldiers should be abolished. We must disarm the nursery!

British Vice-Admiral Alfred Pound: The capital ships of the world are more precious than rubies to the countries possessing them. No nation is going to risk them by pitting them against coastal fortifications.* It is not fair to claim that they are destined for carrying out invasions.

Such talk as this, multiplied by 57 nations and by every language from Chinese to Spanish helped the Conference to deadlock itself again, forced the Delegates to vote a "recess" to May 15.

Audacious, several Paris papers twitted Statesman Stimson and Prime Minister MacDonald for their impatience to get Conference action (TIME, May 2), accused them of coming to Geneva with the motto "Quote Me Too!" Mr. Stimson who had leased a sumptuous Louis XVI villa ("The Stimson Musee") gave it up after a residence of 16 days, motored to sunny Cannes, prepared to sail for home'.

Optimistic was the "Glad Delegate," hand-picked by President Hoover who knew well what he was doing when he picked Dr. Mary Emma Woolley, president of Mount Holyoke college, and put her on the U. S. Delegation (TIME, Feb. 8).. Said she: "This conference has not and"will not fail [sic]. Every day I receive letters, cables and petitions. A famous military man has just cabled me 'My job was to plant mines during the War and it will haunt me until I die. Something must be done at this Conference!' "

*Japan did so last winter at Shanghai.

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