Evening star., 1932-04-10
ARMS CONFERENCE SUCCESS
REMOTE ON REASSEMBLINC
Diplomats May Seek Speedy Action, but
Such Convention Would Be Insignifi-
cant-Cuts Would Be Meaningless.

per cent budgetary reduction would not
involve suppressing a division or dis
banding battery. And in the same
line Of thought British papers are
pointing out that continental nations
have set the size Of their air fleets well
above the reality in order to have
imaginary squadrons to abolish if any
real limitations were even discussed.
Viewed them simply and solely from
the point of view of real reduction of
armies it is unmistakable that budgetary
diminution would be no more than an
obvious deception unless it involved cut
ting to the bone and not the elimina-
ton of superf1uous fat. And that, of
course, is what is totally out of the
question at the present hour. More
over, the Germans have announced they
will sign no convention unless their
right to equality in armaments with all
nations is acknowledged specifically,
while the French have similarly af-
firmed they will not reduce a dollar or
a man below present establishment un-
less new forms of security are insured.
Thus deadlock here seems already
complete.
If the conference, therefore, does
not decide to pass resolutions against
the use Of bugs and gas in war and
adjourn quickly, it seems almost GER
tain that the sessions can drag on,
not only for months, but for years.
What was clear on the first day OF
the meeting and has remained patent
ever since is that the armed nations
of Europe will not reduce their arma-
ments materially while they feel their
security and territorial unity threat
ened by their neighDors. And that
threat does exist and, with the prog
resS of the Hitlerites in Germany, can
become more and more menacing.
If the conference is thus protracted,
however, there is real danger that it
may become what, happily, it has so
far escaped being-namely, the battle
ground between opposed nations. And
the debates and discussions can gravely
exacerbate reSentments and rivalrieS
between states and contribute to
making the present evil situation in
Europe infinitely worse. That is why
under cover there was in the closing
days of the March sessions a growing
feeling that indefinite postponement
If not adjournment sine die, was the
only proper solution for a situation
which was at once ridiculous and
dangerous, a situation which had re-
solved itself into game of ping pong
between various committees, or, as we
in America say less elegantly. a
process of passing the buck"
United States Role Is Unimportant.
AS 1 have tried to make clear before
in my dispatches, the role of the
American delegation in this conference
is at once inconsiderable and a little
humiliating. While other countries are
represented by prime ministers and
foreign ministers. our delegation is
headed by the Ambassador to one of
the smallest European states. More
over. while the statesmen of Europe
are surrounded by men of political
Importance in their respective coun-
tries, Gibson is supported by Norman
Davis, Senator Swanson and Miss
Woolley.
Thus We are destitute of all prestige.
In addition we have no part to play
because our Army and Navy have no
Importance for European countries and
our refusal to join the League or agree
to any security guarantees leaves US
entirely cut of the picture. We can
contribute nothing either in the way
Of guarantees or of reductions and for
all practical purposes our representa-
tives might just as well be sitting at a
hotel in Washington as in Geneva.
All European conferences are political
before they are anything else and this
is no exception. All the statesmen here
are talking politics, not abstract dis
armament. Danubian customs union,
Mediterranean naval compacts, Soviet
n-aggreSSion pacts, these are things
that are really under discussion be-
tween public men who come here NOM
inally to consider disarmament. And
in this cattle show of European politics
our delegation naturally has no place
or part. Moreover, apart perhaps from
Miss Woolley, all our delegation are
now aware nothing real will be ac-
compliShed just as our military and
naval representatives have long ago
recognized the same fact. Only the
minor secretaries still wander about in
the best State Department manner. as
suming portentous and even pompous
manners, solemnly muttering about
profound secrets and forecasting great
achievement comprehended in some
signed convention. AS these secretaries
rarely know anything about what is
going On in foreign delegations and
nothing ever goes on in our own. their
little comedy is transparent, but it does
visibly give them great delight even II
it costs the American taxpayer money.
tCopyright, 1922