Evening star., 1932-09-04
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.
NARIS.-Germany's demand

RAUL SSo1 NM w nLAh.
HARIS.-Germany's demand for
- equal armaments with the
world powers, while long ex-
i pected, is considered in Europe
as an event of great gravity and
portent
1t is the first big test to which the
recent Franco-British confidence ac-
cord" has been put. 1t remains to be
seen to what extent France and Great
Britain will maintain common posi-
ton respecting the German demand.
1t Is declared also to be threat to
the future work of the Disarmament
Conference, for If Germany begins
arming up there is said to be little
chance of Frances cutting down.
It Is also said to be an indirect test
of the present American attitude
toward disarmament and treaty re-
vision, for the disarmament clauses OF
the treaty of Versailles form also an
integral part of the separate peace
made by the United States with Ger
many. which therefore is as fully bound
to Washington in the matter OF dis
armament as to the Versailles sigma
tories
Italy apparently is supporting the
German thesis, France Is opposing 1t,
while the United States and Great
Britain tend to occupy an intermediate
ground.
Substance Of Reich Thesis.
The German thesis appears to be as
follows:
by the treaty of Versailles. But TINS
disarmament was based on the idea,
since proven false. that Germany was
responsible for the World War. That
treaty, moreover, contains the lmpneo
moral pledge that German disarmament
was to be merely the first step In gen.
eral disarmament and that the otner
powers would gradually reduce 10 the
German level.
After waiting patiently for more than
10 wears Germany now finds, according
to the Geneva resolution, that the
Others have apparently no intention OF
fulfilling their pledge of reduction. on
the contrary, the idea of some OF these
nations seems to be to keep Germany
permanently in state of servitude and
inferiority, basing security for the
others on insecurity for Germany.
Such a thought naturally is intoler-
able and unacceptable to any great
people. Germany, therefore, demands
the admission of its right to equality
Immediately. This means that either
the others must agree to reduce to the
German level or Germany must arm
to their level.
In practice, Germany does not intend
to arm up very considerably, but 1t can
no longer submit to being forbidden 10
have certain classes of weapons which
the others Rave. And II the Germans
rightful and equitable demand IS re-
fused Germany to its regret, will see
no further necessity of participating
in the work of the so-called Disarma-
mant Conference and will be compelled
to look to its own security in such
ways as it may find best.
Paris Takes Opposite Stand.
The French thesis is the complete
opposite of the German. France by
no means considers that it has been
proven that Germany was not RESPONSE
bic for the World War.
This issue, however, has nothing to
do with disarmament. Germany, ac-
cording to France, was indeed dis
armed by the treaty of Versailles, but
it has not kept its word and almost
from the first has been deliberately
breaking the disarmament clauses.
If Germany thus disregards one
treaty, what right has it to make a
rev one? argues France.
Furthermore, the idea that the treaty
of Versailles contains any pledge, i'm
piled or moral, that the others will re-
duce to the German level is pure in
vention. The subject is mentioned in
oily two places.
The first is the preamble to Part v of
that treaty, which reads: In order to
render possible the initiation OF gen.