The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-05-20
GERMANY SUGGESTS THAT The Use OF
PLANES AND POISON GAS IN WARFARE
BE FORBIDDEN BY MUTUAL AGREEMENT Il
Count Won BernstOrff Says
Conference Delegates Seem
Anxious to Discover Why
Nations Should Not Disarm
Rather Than to Find Rea-
sons Why They Should.

Geneva, Switzerland, May 20. {P
Concrete proposals to forbid the
use of airplanes and poison gas in
warfare and suppress heavy artillery
and tanks were put forward by Ger
many to-day at the session Of the pre-
parat0ry disarmament commls sion.
The proposals were, presented by
Count Won Bernstorff former am
bassador to the United States.
Count Won Bernstorff explained
that number of delegates to the
conference seemed to APPROACH the
problem with view Of discovering
why nations should not dsarm rath-
er than of finding reasons why they
should. He declared that the crea-
ton Of the League of Nations has
|, tsanged the whole aspect Of the
world because it made war virtually
impossible, since conflict only
could occur between the league and
an aggressor state.
Security Wanted
Tie further complained that Ger
many has been forbidden by the
treaty Of Versailles to organize de-
fense against attack by airplane. "We
can understand the desire Of some
countries to have security because
Germany hasn't security" he added
Abiding to the shortage Of food
in Germany during the world war,
Count Won BernstOrff insisted that
in taking stock of the potential war
strength @of various countries, the
commission Also must consider their
potential weaknesses. The difficulty
Of nation which does not possess
COLONIES in feeding it's population and
in securing raw material must be
taken into consideration, he added.
He appealed for at least some
form Of reduction of ornaments in
order that the world might not be
intensely disappointed and prestige
Of the League Of Nations be lowered.
The spectre Of an immense Russia
which might put into the field 9
huge army was conjured up by Gen
eral Dumitresco Of Rumania as a
reason why a country like Rumania
is Obliged to consider the strength
of its neighbors in deciding what re-
duction it can make in its own army.
Supports French View
| He supported the French view that
disarmament depends almost entire
ly on security. He felt that arma-
! ments must be sufficient to prevent
invasion until aSSlSCauCc COuIu cOWe
from without, assistance that per.
haps might operate through the
League Of Nations.
Finland took a similar stand, her
spokesman declaring that since, Rus
sia had refused to participate in the
present conference, there was nc
way to determine her real intentions
Poland lined up with Rumania and
Finland, NJ. Sokal declaring that
when. Poland's security was more
stable than at present, Poland would
be willing to disarm, perhaps even
to the extent Of the United States
with one soldier to every thousand
of population.
Hugh Gibson, the American repre-
sentative, said that the extent that
land armaments in Europe may be
reduced undoubtedly would depend
upon the degree of security obtain
ed. Security. however. has differ
ent valuation for Europe and coun-
tries Of the western hemisphere, be-
cause of the. difference in location,
the difference in population, and, to
certain extent, the differences OF
the national political situations.