. . . or click on the link here for Audio Player – President Warren G. Harding Address to International Conference for Limitation of Armaments – Nov. 12, 1921 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection
Almost 100 years ago. Three years after the “War to End All Wars” concluded, talk of a limitation of arms as a means of preventing future wars was underway. Like the League of Nations that became an outgrowth of the War, the need for some lasting peace became a crucial imperative, one that the world, even in 1921 couldn’t ignore.
Well . . .almost 100 years later, it’s still being talked about, negotiated, pledged, promised, signed-on-the-dotted-line over – and still it hasn’t happened.
But in 1921, when the Conference opened on November 12th of that year, all was hopeful and optimistic a start could be made and a lasting peace could prevail. With as much death and destruction as the world endured during World War 1, you’d think such a proposal would be met with open arms, that even discussing Arms limitation would be a foregone conclusion. But even in 1921 memories were fading; war’s selective amnesia had spread throughout the room. The plan seemed adventuresome, and implementing it would be another thing. It was at least an attempt.
Here is that address by President Warren G. Harding as it was given on November 12, 1921 (and later recorded on May 24, 1922).
