The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-23
WAR THREATS
KEEP EUROPE
IN CONFUSION
Failure Faced by League of
Nations Commission
on Disarmament.
FEAR GERMAN UPRISING
Revolt Is Dangerous to
France, Which Insists on
More Defense.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMS

In ScriDDs- HOUdrd Ne5CsDGDer Alliance
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23.-Against
a horizon lurid with the fire Of war
and runors of war, the preparatory
commission for the disarmament
conference is getting ready to meet
at Geneva in two weeks.
Not since the birth of the League
Of Nations, under whose auspices
the commission is attempting TO dis
cover a way to reduce the world s
burden of arms, military, naval and
aerial, has the prospect of failure
doomed quite so dark.
There is scarcely a country in Eu-
rope that is not either preparing for
a possible outbreak of hostilities
within the next few years, or is
strengthening its defenses because
it is afraid of what might happen.
Under the circumstances obserV-
ers frankly admit they see no more
chance of the commission getting
anywhere at this time than the pro-
verbal SNOWFALL in the abode of
Satan.
MussOIini Talks of War
There are a dozen perfectly good
reasons why the principal nations
OF Europe will not be able to reach
any worthwhile decision regarding
arms limitation at Geneva, but only
eight need to be cited here.
/. Germany is threatening to make
another scrap Of paper out OF the
treaty of Versailles.
Q. Italy is supporting Germany
and Mussolini is talking war.
3. France, alarmed over the trend
both in Germany and Italy, is in
creasingly insistent upon a still
stronger national defense.
4. Austria, like Germany, is veer-
ing more and more toward Fascism.
5. Prince Otto comes of age next
month and Hungary is openly await
ing to defy her neighbors and seat
him on the HapSburg throne.
Poland Also Fears Germany
6. Poland, like France, fears
Germany. which country admits it
will leave no stone unturned to wipe
out the Polish corridor.
7. Russia, potentially the strong
est military power in Europe,
il not in the world, continues to
increase her armament.
8. Great Britain, with COM
mitments to defend clear around the
world, yet fearful of what may hap
pen in India. the far and near east.
in Russia and in Europe generally
hardly will do anything impulsive
in the disarmament line.
Germany is the key to the pres
ent situation in Europe. Her pres
tige remains high in the old world
despite defeat in 1918, and she
would not have to go it alone should
she launch All attempt to revise the
treaty of Versailles.
Japan May Push Forth
Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary and
Austria would almost certainly be
found at her side, in such an event,
and, very likely Russia, and if things
reached a crisis where those powers
were lined up against France,
Poland. Yugos1avia Czecho-
Slovakia and Rumania, Japan might
enter into the picture. Japan is
seeking recognition of her claims in
Manchuria and eastern Mongolia.
1t 10 in this hectic atmosphere
that the League of Nations COM
mission. set up to prepare the way
for a general limitation of arms,
will meet Nov. 6. In the circum-
stances it is difficult for even the
most optimistic to expect much
actual progress.