The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-02-27
By NJ. L.

By M. L.
THE Geneva disarmament" conference Is tax
ing place in the midst of feverish war prep
arations and open irnperialist war in China.
The imperialist countries are engaged in an
orgy of ornaments. The French war budget
for the first nine months OF 1882 will total $780,,
100000. IN. Y. Times, Feb 24)
The U. S. intends to build up Its navy to the
maximum provided In the London Naval dis
armament" Treaty. This will involve an ex-
penditure of close to $1,000 600 ooO In comment,
ing on the bill providing for this naval expan-
sion Senator Robinson Of the Naval Affairs
Committee, said that "he will insist that con-
sideration be deferred long enough to avoid ap-
pearance that the U. S. is working at Geneva
merely for proportionate ornaments, rather than
actual disarmament" IN. Y. Times, Feb. 24.
The Geneva conference Is smoke screen to
veil these actual war preparations,
The French inaperialists are working their
muntion factories at full speed supplying war
orders to Japanese imperialism.
The Business Week CFeb. 100 reports that '1n
Paris it is rurnored that the Hotchliss machine
gun works is working night and day on japanese
orders. Rumors Of private credits for Japan
have not been confirmed Direct credits are
improbable, but credits by French firms work
ing on Japanese deliveries are not unlikely since
a French embargo on arms shipments is alto
gether improbable"
Drew Pearson, Washington correspondent Of
the Baltimore Sun (Feb. 20) reports that "the
Schneider Creusot munitions group of France
which controls the Skoda works In Czecho-
Slovakia, is reported here to be making large
sales to Japan. The Skoda plant is reported to
be working extra shifts"
French finance-capitai controls the Skoda
works. The New York Times Vienna CORES
pondent (Feb. . writes the following:
1.-THE Little Entente France's military allies)
is Frances chief support in Europe and its
ornaments Frances vital interest. France there
fore granted credits for this purpose, but only
on condition that she furnish the weapons and
munitions ordered under them"
The same dispatch reports that of the recent
$24000,000 loan to Czecho- Slovakia, $90000O0 of
it, was used to rehabilitate the Skoda works. or
better, it said, to cover its debts to Schnei-
der-Creusot. Still more From the last and fu-
ture loans to Rouinania, France declared her in
tention of subtracting the amounts. Roumania
owes Schneider Creusot."
French imperialism has organized an iron ring
on the western frontier for war against the
Soviet Union France as well as the U. S. has
backed Japan in Manchuria to forge the war
front against the U. S. S. r. in the Far East.
This statement by Senator Moses is signifi-
can't France would be well pleased to have
Japan in Manchuria. With Japan in Man
churia, France would expect that Russia would
be compelled to keep armed forces massed along
the Manchurian frontier. And Of course the
more Russian forces massed along the Manchur-
ian front, the less Russian forces will be con-
centrated at points which might be Of danger
to France" (Times Feb pa
The United States is stepping up production of
munitions for war orders. The American Metal
Market (Feb. l2) reports that "a number Of
Youngstown district steel makers are sharing in
awards for munitions steel, though the circum-