MARION, Ohio, Dec. 31, 1920 (UP) - Steps toward gradual world disarmament will be taken by President-elect Harding early in his administration, according to authoritative information today.
The first move may be a call to the world powers to organize a disarmament congress to work out a scheme.
Disarmament occupies a prominent place in Harding's plan for an association of nations. It has figured prominently in many of his most important conferences with the nation's best minds.
The impetus given the disarmament movement by international businessmen, politicians, soldiers, sailors and statesmen has become so formidable that the disarmament campaign stands today in the same position in which the League of Nations idea stood several years ago.
But the disarmament idea is coming to be considered a more immediately effective instrument for universal peace than even the League of Nations.
Many of the elements that supported and many of those that opposed the league are uniting on the disarmament program as a realization of their respective aims.
Reports reaching here, while complicated by strained relations between France and Germany, are that European powers as well as Japan could be induced to join the program under certain conditions.
There is strong circumstantial evidence that the presence of Senator McCormick in Europe, and the sudden outbreak of armament reduction arguments there, coupled with the Borah resolution and Senator Johnson's disarmament speech in Washington are all part of a well-laid plan.
Congressional leaders are understood to have recommended that Harding take action toward obtaining agreement between leading powers to limit construction of work already under way.
They point out that America controls the world's naval situation and that whatever it says will probably be done.
America could with safety, they say, abandon all plans for new ships and still keep its power up to that of Great Britain and double that of Japan. But if America were willing to declare a naval holiday, it is argued, the other powers will eagerly seize the opportunity to cut down their expenditures.
Harding, however, is flatly for a navy sufficient to protect America's merchant marine and America's two coasts.
The legislative program of the current session of Congress will be discussed between President-elect Harding and Congressman Mondell, Wyoming, Republican House leader, here today. Congressman Anthony, Kansas, chairman of the military affairs appropriations subcommittee, also was scheduled to confer with Harding. A group of Federal Reserve Board officials was due to advise the president-elect regarding the financial situation.
