Evening star., 1932-09-07
GERMAN ATTITUDE
REGARDED SERIOUS
Officials Here Deeply Inter.
ested in Demand for
Arms Equality.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
The publication in Berlin of the note
sent by the German government last
week. to Paris Is considered in official
circles here as extremely serious and
likely to lead to serious complications
in Europe. While the United States
is not one of the signatories OF the
Versailles treaty, the Government OF
this country is intensely interested In
the maintenance of peace abroad ana
in the progress of disarmament. For
this reason alone, the attitude OF the
United States Government Is bound TO
be in full sympathy with that OF the
government of France and the other
governments which are directly inter-
ested in the maintenance OF the YER
sailles treaty.
In official circles in Washington the
attitude of the French government IN
general, and of Premier Herriot IN par
ticular, Is highly praised. 1t Is re-
called that in other times, and possibly
with another man at the helm OF
France, the German note, couched in
most unequivocal terms, would nave
been INTERPRETED as an ultimatum and
it Is possible that France would have
acted accordingly. Yet the French gov
ernment and the French people appear
to have taken the Won Papen note with
a good deal of calm and examined II
from purely legal aspect.
Held of Interest to All Powers.
The French government maintains
that the question of equality in arms,
demanded by Germany, is not a matter
which interests the French government
alone, but all the other SO countries
% froofu Tny1-
seuuently, the Quai d'Orsay feels that 1t
Is not up to the French government to
release or bind Germany to scrupu-
lous observance of that treaty; that the
whole matter must be submitted to all
the other nations which have particl-
pated in the World War.
This being the situation, it IS said
that France Is desirous to have Ger
MANY submit her request to an inttI-
national conference to be held proD-
ably at Geneva, at the earliest possible
moment. The Council of the League OF
Nations meets on September ~, and
it may be possible for Germany 10 SUD-
NIT its claim at that time.
The pricipal dificulty, however, Is
that France and Great Britain would
like the United States to participate IN
such a conference and America could
not have even an observer at the Ge-
neva meeting Of the Council.
There are several reasons why the
European powers think that America
would be willing to participate at
conference where Germany would sub
nit her demands. The most important
and popular reason in America Is that
the German claim means an increase
of armaments, while the United States
is working for an immediate reduction
of arms. Under these circumstances 1t
is believed that the most appropriate
place for the Germans to submit their
request would be at the next meeting
Of the Disarmament Conference. There
the whole question could be thrashed
out and Germany would not be isolated
as would be the case at the meeting OF
the Council Of the League, where her
only possible supporter would be Italy.
At the Disarmament Conference she
would have an impartial America and
the possible assistance Of Russia.
Declared Ready to Arm.
But the fear is being expressed here
that it will be difficult to induce Ger
many to wait until the Disarmament
Conference reconvenes. In many quar-
tiers the. German note to Paris is not
interpreted as request to have equality
in armaments, but as notification
that Germany will soon begin to arm,
whether the former allies agree to it or
not. This point of view Is not derived
from the German note, but from the
speech Gen. Won Schleicher, the real
power behind the Won Papen govern
ment, made yesterday at the army
maneuverS IN East Prussia.
Under these circumstances it Is
feared that conference would be of
little use. It may help If held imme-
diately to soften the effect Of the Ger
man note, but it will not prevent Ger
many from doing what 1t wishes.
The chief concern in oficial quarters
Is not Frances reaction, but Poland's.
According to reports received from War
saw, it appears that the Polish govern
ment Is worried and incensed not so
much because Of the German request
for equality of armaments, but because
of the tnflammatory speech of Won
Schleichen. In certain influential Polish
quarters it Is believed that the Danzig
Corridor will be directly threatened by
any increase of the German aTma-
ments and that the time has come for
Poland to take more positive stand
regarding Germany. Both France and
Great Britain are counseling modera-
tion to the Polish government and for
the time being their advice is being
followed, but in well informed quarters
1t Is said that II the Germans actually
put into effect their demand for an in
creased army it will be difficult to keep
the Poles quiet. .y.-