To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

It seems to me that for the nation to adopt any policy which depends for its success upon the assumption that there is to be no more war would, at this time, be a highly dangerous thing do do. Not even the most optimistic follower of the proceedings at Washington would dare to state that a conference which devotes nearly as much, of its time to the discussion of the rules of war, as to disarmament, will result in the abolishment of war. The argument that a merchant marine is a necessity to the nation in time of war is still a vital one, then, in consideration of the question whether or not we should retain our merchant fleet, contrary to Mr. Parson's statement in your communication column on Monday.

Moreover, regardless of the probability of a future war, it would be both to our advantage and to the advantage of those nations now indebted to us for us to operate our own merchant marine, provided we could do it at a lower freight rate than that charged by others. If government marine insurance can accomplish this, without imposing any additional burden on the taxpayers, then there is every reason why it should be adopted, both as a means of adding our sea-borne commerce, and as insurance against Isolation in time of war. JAMES K. DOW '23