Imperial Valley press., 1932-09-19
.ENCL.A A Nd
OPPOSES
GERM ANY
Joins France In Fr0wn-
ing On Plea For Arms
Equality.
STATEMENT ISSUED
Blunt Wording Used In
Note From London For
eign Office.
By HARRY FLORY
United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
LONDON, Sept. 19.-tU.P..T The
British government had lined up
solidly today with France against
Germany's demand for armament
equality, as result, political OBJ
servers said, of surprisingly
blunt foreign office statement.
The statement was not even
tempered with the usual courteous
diplomatic phraseology. In many
respects it was more devastating
than the French reply to the
Reichs equality demand.
Britain considers the demand
unwise in view of Germany's eco
nomic difficulties; untimely in
view of financial concessions re-
Gently granted Germany; and
holds that even if a disarmament
convention is not concluded by the
world conference at Geneva, Ger
many will not be entitled to abb
rogate the restrictions placed on
her by the Versailles treaty, the
statement said.
Germany, after being advised
that questions involving national
pride and dignity would be best
settled "by friendly negotiation
not involving either disregard of
treaty obligations or an increase
in the sum total of armed force,'
was told
This desirable consummation
cannot be attained by peremptory
challenge or withdrawal from de-
liberations which are about to be
resumed. 1t can only be reached by
patient discussion through the me-
dium of conference between the
states concerned"
The blunt attitude of the gov
ernment was attributed to new de-
velopment since the French an
swered the German demand,
namely the official announcement
that Germany would not partici-
pate in the Tuesday meeting of the
bureau of the disarmament con-
ference.
Observers saw little or none of
the influence of Prime Minister
Ramsey Macdonald in the mem
orandum, but much of the work
of Foreign Minister Sir John ST.
mon.
BERLIN, Sept. 10. UH The
British rebuff to Germany's demand
for arms equality was believed like
ly to crystalize the German deter
mination to regain military SOW
ereignty by welding nationalistic,
conservative, and moderate politi-
cal factions into united front.
Political quarters saw the posi-
bility that foreign opposition to a
cause popular with the majority of
Germans might bring about inter-
nal unity where even efforts of the
aged President Won Hindenburg
failed. This was considered espec-
tally likelv if Premier Herriot of
France carried out his threat to
involve an international investiga-
ton of alleged secret German arm
aments.
A foreign office spokesman COM
mented cauStlcally on the OFFICIAL
British attitude and the statement
made in the Boersen Courier by
David Lloyd George, who accused
the allies of breaking faith regard
ing disarmament.
The government has decided to
organize millions of young Germans
into sports groups, presaging the
formation of a militia, and TO lay
the keel Of third pocket battle
ship"
ROME, Sept. 10. U.P)-The Ital-
ian government recognizes Ger
manys right to equality in arms
but believes it must be applied
through disarmament TO Germany's
level rather than rearmament Of
Germany toward the level Of the
other powers.