Evening star., 1932-09-17
i. 5. EXPECTS ARMS
TALKS TO PROCEED
German Withdrawal, How
ever, Seen as Death-KneII
of Conference.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

While the State Department deploreS
Germany's decision not to participate
in the next meeting of the Dlsarma-
ment Conference September 81, and
considers 1t a serious handicap to the
future progress of International dis
armament, the belief of certain high Of
ficials is that the other powers will pro-
ceed with the conference despite Ger
manys absence.
1t is admitted. however, that no sub
stantial results can be achieved with
Germany remaining outside the con-
ference. 1t is also admitted the ulti-
mate fate of that conference is very
uncertain, but the general belief is that
it would be mistake on the part OF
the other powers to adplit defeat at
the present moment, and that meet
ing at Geneva on September 81 can
not be harmful.
The German attitude in the last few
days is causing certain amount OF
uneasiness in official circles in Wash
ington. The general tendency is to
of the present unsettled situation in
the world to press claims which, under
different circumstances, she would have
asked for in more conciliatory manner.
Merits Not Discussed.
The merits or dement's of the German
claims are not even seriously discussed
The principal quarrel of the officials
with the German government is the
fact that by its rigid attitude it renders
the progress of disarmament extremely
doubtful And this at time when
the French government seemed inclined
to abandon its adamant attitude on
arms.
According to reports received from
Paris, it appears that Premier Herriot.
partly on account OF Frances fnanclal
difficulties an partly on account OF his
desire to contribute toward general
reduction in ornaments, had indicated
his willingness to reduce substantially
Frances military status.
1t is feared new that all the efforts
of the French premier will be in vain,
because the French people are bound
to look upon Germany again as a
potential enemy. Because developments
in the Far East have rendered illusory
the various pacts and agreements for
security signed since the end of the
war, it is likely that henceforth the
attitude of the French government will
change from one of willingness to dis
arm to one of increased ornaments.
Believe Time Ill Chosen.
The German claim for parity in
ornaments is considered in most French
circles as not only a defiance of the
Versailles .treaty but also as an indiCa-
ton of the German desire to take
eventually by force what she cannot
obtain by peaceful methods.
Much stress is laid upon the decision
of the German government to lay the
keel of the third pocket battle cruiser
on october l. BY doing this, Germany
strictions of the Versailles treaty which
authorize her to construct seven 10000
ton ships.
But, it is argued, that the moment
selected by Germany to build the third
ship of that class has been i'll chosen
Germany is claiming to be in very bad
financial and economic circumstances
Yet while she cannot pay her creditors
she finds sufficient money to spend
some $12,O00,000 to $l5,000,000 for the
construction of a warShip.
Furthermore, it is said, the moment
for such construction has been badly
chosen. Since last January great ef-
forts have been made by the leading
world powers to come to an agreement
about, if not complete disarmament
at least a cessation of the armament
race. The international situation, es-
pecially after the drastic reduction ol
1Contir,,od on Dooe Q Column 6l