Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-09-25
NEW HOPES SPUR
j. 8. ARMS ACTION
DELEGATION Speeded Across
Atlantic for Geneva
Conference.
ny CONSTANTINE BROWN.

ny CONSTANTINE BROWN.
Because of renewed hope among high
oficials of the State Department that
the reduction of arms conference might
Weld results, the American delegation
at the meeting of the Steering Com
mittee at Geneva was hustled across the
Atlantic in a German liner instead OF
waiting for an American boat.
Controller General McCarl, VINO In
formed Secretary of State StlmSon that
the American delegate, Norman DAVIS;
and his assistants, Allan w. Dulles and
Admiral Arthur J. Hepburn, must traVei
on an American ship, or else ne Woulu
not approve the expenditure for crossing
the Atlantic, had to reverse ms decision
Friday afternoon. LIZ,
Secretary Stimson explained to him
that the Steering Committee OF tLe
disarmament conference met curing .iie
week beginning October ). II tne
American delegates left by an Amerl-
can liner they would not reach Geneva
before october s, and the meeting OF
the steering Committee adjourned on
October Q Thus the American delega-
fion which is called to play an I'M
nortant role in the debates OF the
Steering Committee, would partlcipaVe
onlv for two days in the DELIBERATIONS
of that committee.
Date Set Last Week.
The date for the meeting of the COM
mittee was set only last week. Ihere
Was 50 much coordination work to be
done between the State Department.
which fixes the policies OF the delees-
ton. and the Navy Department, Wnlcn
IL directly interested in the tecnnlcai
details of the naval problem winch WIN
have to come up in the course OF Ihe
debates. that had the delegatlon leII
On the Ieviathan, as it had been orig
ina,Iv decided. the President and the
Secretary of State would not have hao
s,Iffcient time to give their maj IN
structions to the delegates.
The general depression which con-
tinues to prevail in European countries
and in France particularly, is conSlo-
cred one of the principal reasons why
the arms conference may nave Some
chances of success. To this must De
added the fact that Europe is at pres
emit in a panicky frame OF nina.
since the German ultimatum 1or
equality in arms, groups OF powers
have been more definitely lormea.
Germany. Italy. Hungary and Bqlgaria
form one powerful group with RUSSIA
looming in the background ana reaoy
to throw her weight in the palance ~
favor of this combination: IN tne
other camp IS Great 6ii'aiii.
and her allies. -
So long as these groups OF powers
we're not clearly defined, the fears OF
an armed conflict in Europe were re.
note. They existed in the minds OF
the statesmen and the diplomats, pus
the general public was not aware Oh
them Now. the possibility OF new
conflict is clear in the minds OF the
Enronean people and their representa-
tiyes are urged to do all they can 10
avert a new calamity.
Catastrophe Feared.
Neither the French, the Germans nor
the Italians are anxious 10 see a h 1ss
in Europe. Britain Is less
ANXIOUS than the rest. The repre-
sentatives of these nations realize fully
their tremendous responsibilities and II
is believed in American diplomatic
circles that when they get together they
are bound to examine the situation III
confidence and try to devise some means
to avert a crisis.
In spite of the apparently aoarna1it
attitude of the German government, IL
is believed that if the issue is not
forced by the other powers now the
Won Papen administration, which is
gaining strength in Germany, m1ent oe
in a different mood after the German
elections which are scheduled 10 De
held in November. Until then Germany
is bound to maintain her present at'i-
tude, in public at least.
whether Germany can be induced 10
agree to rejoin the disarmament con-
ference later Is a matter which depends
entirely on the diplomatic qualities OF
Premier Herriot, Sir John Simon, Baron
Won Neurath and the American deie-
gates who maintaining an attitude OF
impartiality, might become very I'M
portant asset as go-betWeen between
the two groups of powers The genera!
immersion is that while Germany Will
not attend the discussions OF the
Steering Committee, it is possible that
after the elections Germany may hnd
a way out to participate at the ols-
cussions of the general arms conference.
For this purpose, the Steering Com
mittee will endeaver to leave IN aDey-
ance many of the important matters
which it intended to discuss, and Will
reduce it's public discussions merely 10
the fixing of a date when the confer
ence should resume its debates. IN
private, many other questions, especially
those pertaining to naval armamentS
on which the British are very Keen
again, will have to be discussed.
Reversal Is Expected.
It also is probably that the Germans
will be told that if they agree to par
ticipate in the general conversations
next year, the question of arms equality
will be taken under consideration oy
the conference. BY that time, with the
elections over, the position OF the pres
ent German government will be con
siderably strengthened. The opinion
Of the State Department is that tnc
Germans, who are practical politicians,
will see that they can derive import.
ant benefits by rejoining the concert
of powers and will in the end agree TO
return to Geneva next year. Accord
ing to reports from Berlin, the Ger
man diplomats realize that they have
gone too far in their claim for aoso-
f,Ite parity, but because Of internal poll
tics. it is too late for their government
to change its attitude at the present
moment. The opinion of political OBJ
servers is that they will welcome
chance to reverse their position later,
provided, Of course, that some OF their
claims are satisfied.
nIl enIInv CTkTEMCMT