Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-28
Hitler's Outburst Retards
European Disarmament
ny A. q. GARDINER.

LONDON, September 27.--Public
opinion here is much perturbed by Adolf
Hitler's amazing outburst at the Leipzig
trial Of four ofiicers in the Reichswehr
and the incident is the subject Of In.
finite discussion In the press. ~
Apart from Lord Rothermere's fren-
Gied euloeies Of Hitler in the Daily Mail,
the general tenor Of comment is directed
to calming public feeling by represent
ing the incident as q wave of emotion
due largely to the exceptional condi-
tons Of the moment But the gravity of
the matter and It's disastrous effect on
the European situation are fully recog-
ni1ed.
II is generally agreed that the course
OF events at the Geneva Conference has
been depressing and Hitier's explosion
seriously darkens the outlook, especially
In regard to prospects for the cisarma :
ment negotiations. The Fascist success
at the polls In Germany had been made
the occasion Of the most extravagant
press panic in France and the impress
sion was widely prevalent in political cir
cles here that the event was being de-
nberately exploited in influential quar-
ters in Paris to strengthen resistance to
disarmament on the ground that France
was In imminent peril.
Hitler's wild threats. Of course, lent
force TO this view and to the alarms on
which the French militarist policy rests.
AS the Manchester Guardian remarks
we are paying today for postponing for
four years the sequel to Locarno. Gustav
Stresemann's policy of fulflllment has
indeed triumphed at last and brought
about the liberation of the Rlinelarld.
but the victory was too long delayed and
acknowledged with so bad a grace that
1t has not placated the deep recruitment
OF Germany At the many injustices of
the peace treaty"
The London Times, while admitting
That the whole cause, of European dis
armament would be hopeieSsly imperiled
ny victory Of the fanattcally Chauvi-
INST faction IN Germany, takes the view
that Hitler's speech should arouse ridi-
cule rather than alarm outside Ger
many. 1t states that there is no rea-
son to believe that more than a few
omcers OF the Reichswehr have been
mnuenced by the Fascist propaganda
ana bases It's confidence on President
COTl@
manding influence over the army.
$3.50
indeed, there Is nothing more re-
markaple In the press comments than
the reliance on the personalitv and
character of Won Hindenburg to steady
the current feeling in this crisis He
says the Times, fortunately has drastic
powers and Is as reSolutely opposed to
any interference of the ofticers in poll
tics as he is hostile TO any attempt
TO subvert the constitution or lead the
German nation into foreign adventures.
rear OF Fascist ''putsch" generally
Is oiscredited. Apart from confidence
that coup d'etat would be efacientiy
handled by the army and police, il is
pointed out that, Is In the case of the
kapp "putsch," q political general
strike would smother the attempt.
Conflicting views are expressed as 10
whether Hitler's threat viii induce the
other parties to compose their differ-
ences and provide an effective coali-
tton, but the best informed authorities
here agree that II such a coalition is
possible 1t wall be short-lived and that
q new election in the near future would
probably strengthen the Fascist faction.
The danger of the situation is that
the French attitude will continue to
play into the hands of the German
incendiaries, who, in. the English lib
eral view, have only been made formid-
able by the cumulative effect Of such
plumbers as the invasion of, the Ruhr
the inexcusable prolongation of the
occupation Of the Rhineland, the delay
in the admission Of Germany to the
League of Nations and the continuance
of the bloated ornaments Of the allied
powers In defiance Of the letter and
spirit Of the Versailles treaty.
Gccesrisht. lseo.l -