The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-02-01
CANNON BETTER
THAN TREATIES,
FRANCE INSISTS
Leagues Inability to Halt
Japan New Obstacle to
Arms Slash.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SndMS
scripps- Howard Foreign Editor

Fate of the epochal arms confer
ence, starting Tuesday, at Geneva
will be shaped by four nations
France, Germany, Japan and the
United States.
At least a score Of other nations
will influence the parley-some OF
them great deal-but these four
will give it an unmiStakabIe mold.
France today is cock of the Eu-
ropean walk. She even casts Great
Britain in the shadow. But she is
mortally afraid Of a German, come
back and only under one condition
will she agree to disarmament
That one condition is a definite
guarantee of her security. She must
have positive and specific assurance
of help in case of aggression.
France already is secured thrice
against aggression-on paper. The
Locarno treaties, the covenant of
the League of Nations and the Pact
Of Paris, better known in this coun-
try as the Kellogg pact, all seem to
offer the necessary guarantee.
Promises-EasiIy Broken
But, France replies, these are not
enough. They merely contain
promises easily broken. They mean
we'll, but are not effective. China
was supposed to be safe from at
tack-being a member of the league
and signatory to the Kellogg pact
but Japan has taken Manchuria
just the same.
Germany, French spokesman as
sert, now is arming secretly. They
say she has spent billions creating
the worlds finest industrial ma
chine, instead of paying for the
damages she wrought in the last
war.
Germany, they claim, is equipped
as probably no other nation is
equipped to manufacture poison
gas, airplaneS, tanks and other
paraphernalia such as will play the
dominant role in the next war. On
top of which, camoufaged as
marching clubs, athletic associations
and service organizations, she has
the makings of a vast army ready to
take the field.
Above all, the French continue.
Germany has the will to war, if and
when the opportunity presents. Ger
many never was more anti French
than right now. Every German is
nationalist or a Hitherto i'm
patiently awaiting the day when his
country will tear up the Treaty of
Versailles, repudiate reparationS and
demand revision of the map of Eu-
rope.
Leagues Failure Cited
If the league failed to stop Japan,
France ironically asks, will it dare
intervene against Germany? If it
could not halt Japan's 25,G0O legion
nalreS in Manchuria would it risk
trying to stop sky full of Prussian
bombers Winging westward across
the Rhine?
IT the United States hesitated to
invoke the Nine Power treaty or the
Kellogg pact when Japan violated
both and trampled on China, she
queries, would it be any bolder if
Germany moved to make a Man
churia out of France?
These are not my arguments.
They are Frances arguments. Every
one Of her delegates will carry them
in his head to and through the par
ley at Geneva. She is skepticaI.
and more. She openly admits that
in her opinion the present pacts
against aggression are not strong
enough, and until they are strength
ened She must look after her own
defenSes.
In common with the rest of
Europe. France regards the United
States as the biggest unknown
quantity OF all, in the event of an
other war.
Boycott Viewed Unlikely
She does not believe the United
States would boycott a violator of
the Kellogg pact, which it virtually
created, or of the covenant of the
league which its President framed.
Instead, she is cynical enough to
suggest, we even might insist upon
our right to sell munitions and
other war stores to the aggressor.
Failure of Senator Capper's reso-
luton to put the United States on
record against thus aiding an out
law state is cited in support of this.
possibility. Also our recent large
sales to Japan of raw materials
commonly used in the manufacture
of high explosives.
More than fifty nations will be
represented at Geneva. Many and
complex will be the debates. But
when all is said and done and dis
armament may be found impossible
at this stage of the game, funda-
mentally the prime reasons will
likely be those set down above.