Evening star., 1932-09-19
BY the Associated Press.


on GermanyS withdrawal from the
Disarmament Conference was made
puglic at the British embassy yesterday,
as follows:
statement of the views Ct his
majesty's government in the United
Kingdom on questions arising out OF the
notes exchanged between the German
government (August 29) and the French
government (September I'D regarding
the work of the Disarmament Confer
ence:
Il. The exchange Of notes which has
recently taken pace between the Ger
man and French governments en- the
subject of equality Of status in the
matter of disarmament and the an
nouncement made by the German dele
gate at Geneva that his government
regarded this question as necessary to
be dealt with forthwith II their COL
laboration in the work of the Disarma-
ment Conference was to continue in
volve matters of the greatest Importance
for the future progress of the confer
ence and, indeed, for the future Of
disarmament itself. His majestys gov
eminent and the whole British people
are most deeply concerned to promote
the success of the conference and hold
that international agreement Ito which,
of course, Germany must be a party
for the limitation and reduction OF
armaments would not only relieve the
world from the burden of expense which
is retarding its economic recovery, but
would be an immediate and solid con-
tribution toward the preservation OF
world peace and the promotion OF coed
feeling between neighboring states.
With a profound sense of their duty
to promote appeasement and to search
for the reconciliation Of different points
of view, his majesty'S government deem
it well to make the following observa-
tons:
Regret Controversy Now.
"2. His Majesty's government feel
constrained to state at the outset that
they think it unfortunate that po-
litical controversy of this magnitude
should arise at this moment, when it
is so necessary that attention and
energy should not be diverted from
efforts which are being undertaken, and
are so urgently needed. to restore pro-
duction and the commercial prosperity
of the world. Granted that this queS
ton of equal status would have arisen
before the Disarmament Conference
concluded its work, there is grave dis
advantage in forcing 1t to the front
at this stage.
Germany has suffered. and is SUI
fering. from the prevailing economic
depression and widespread unemploy-
ment, and the other signatories of the
treaty of Versailles have recognized
this and have shown themselves ready
in consequence to abate, and indeed
fundamentally revise, their financial
claims upon Germany. In view Of
Germany's economic difficulties, the in
itiation of an acute controversy in the
political field at this moment must be
accounted unwise, and, in view of the
concessions so recently granted to Ger
many by her creditors, it must be ac-
counted particularly untimely.
His Majestys government earnestly
trust that nothing may be now allowed
to intervene which would retard the
process of economic recovery which is
so urgently necessary and which it will
be the task Of the approaching World
Economic Conference to promote by all
the means in its power.
Treaty Obligations Upheld.
"3. But as Germany's claim to a
status of equality has been put forward
prominently and threatens to impose
an obstacle to the smooth and har-
monlous working of the conference. his
majeSty'S government considers that
they should offer some comments on the
subject and make some suggestions as
to how the claim might be dealt with.
First, 1t is necessary to be clear as to
what the claim involves and as to the
actual treaty position.
His majestyS government can give
no countenance or encouragement 70
disregard of treaty obligations. Al
though his majesty's government do
not understand the German memoran-
dunn to have stated the contrary view,
they desire to associate themselves with
the opinion that it could not be main
talned as the correct legal construction
OF the treaty of Versailles and con-
nected correspondence that Germany is
legally entitled to obrogate part of
the treaty of Versailles by any disarm-
ament convention to be concluded or by
the failure to conclude any convention
at all
If the preamble to part of the
treaty of Versailles is looked at it will
be seen that the allied powers, in re-
quirlng these limitations on Germany'S
armaments, had in mind the object
or reason therein indicated. That OBJ
ject or reason was to render possible
initiation of genaral limitation of
armamentS of all nations" To state
what the object or aim of a stipula-
tion is is very different thing from
making successful fulfillment of that
object the condition of the stipulation
Still less is it possible to deduce, as a
matter of legal Interpretation of the
treaty, that the manner in which the
object-general limitation of arma-
ments-waS to be fulfilled, was to be
precisely the same manner in which
Germany's ornaments had been limited
by part five, for the only indication in
the treaty of the manner in which
general disarmament is to be brought
about is to be found in the very general
words of article 8 of the covenant.
The correct position under the treaty of
Versailles Is that part 5 is still binding
and can only cease to be binding by
agreement.
Real German Intent.
a. So much has been stated for the
purpose OF clearing the ground. But
his majeSty'S government do not under
stand that the case put forward by
Germany Is legalistic deduction from
the language of the treaty of Versailles.
1t Is rather an appeal for adjustment
based on the fact that the limitation
of Germany's armaments contained in
the treaty was intended to be, and an
nounced to be, the precursor of general
limitation by others. His majesty's
government do not deny the fact and
do not seek to minimize the force OF
the contention.
so far as the government of the
United Kingdom are concerned, very
large reductions in all departments OF
armaments have been made since the
treaty of Versailles was signed. Never
theless, the United Kingdom govern
ment are earnestly collaborating al
Geneva in promoting to the utmost OF
their power measures of further dis
armament, both in the qualitative and