Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-19
ARMS DISCUSSIONS
MAY LAST A YEAR
Slow Progress Expected as
Farley Takes Recess
Until April II.
Continued From First Pase.l

tContlnued From First Page
treaty and the japanese withdrawal
from Shantung.
The London Conference was preceded
by the informal Anglo-American un-
derstanding at Rapidan. The reason
why this political preparation is neces-
Sary is explained thus: If countries are
dominated by suspicion and fear. they
will haggle ever the smallest points and
make this petty resistance a matter Of
vital interest, even national honor But
If they already have reached a political
understanding, the details are second
airy and the powers will agree that the
main plan sweeps all before it.
Many saw in advance that the Dis
armament Conference was insufficiently
prepared ON the political side. The
British for this reason tried to get IL
postponed. But, in the long run, they
seemed more eager to hold 1t than put
it off again, and now that the long
heralded conference actually is sitting
its only recourse has been to slow up
the technical work while attempting
to carry out the political negotiations
on the side.
Far East First Obstacle.
The first and most serious obstacle
encountered was the sudden worsening
OF the Far Eastern conflict, due to the
Japanese invasion of Chinese territory
at and near Shanghai
How could nations like Great Britain,
the United States and Russia say moth
ing to japan or China and talk seri-
ouSly OF disarmament while Japanese
guns were Smelling Chinese trencheS7
The United States, in the letter written
by Secretary Of State Henry L. Slim
son to Senator William E. Borah, even
intimated that, II Japan continued to
disregard the treaties, the United States
would De Obliged to revise the diSarma-
mert agreements of 1922.
Moreover, events in China had ap-
peared to diScredit the worlds So-called
peace organization, consisting, on one
hand, OF the League of Nations covenant
and on the other of the Kellogg anti
war pact.
The most urgent task before the Dis
armament Conference was therefore to
halt the war IN the Far East and to re-
store, as far as possible, the prestige
ana emcacy OF the worlds peace charts.
Unsuccessful So Far.
theoretically the course of the Dis
armament Conference had had nothing
to do with the Far Eastern conflict,
which was being handled jointly by the
United States and the League. But
practically the conference and the
League turned out TO be almost
Identical
1t is too soon to prognosticate, but
at the present moment 1t appears that
the conference or the League Assembly
or whatever 1t should be called has not
been unsuccessful.
Fighting in Shanghai has ceased.
Armistice negotiations are under way.
The United States and the League are
working closely together. The validity
OF the Leagues principles has been re-
established. Confidence in the League
and the Kellogg pact is growing again.
And to the worlds peace organization
momentous principle, formulated by
Mr., Stlmson and then adopted by the
entire League, has been added, namely.
he principle Of non-recognition, accord
ing to which all nations seem to agree
not to recognize territorial changes eff
fected by violence in contravention of
the League covenant or the Kellogg
pact.
The second obstacle that the Dis
armament conference encountered was
the poisonous atmosphere that had en-
tered Europe by the Franco-Itaiian and
tTanco-German MISUNDERSTANDING.
Await Second German Ballot.
There is reason to believe that France.
Germany. and Italy are all ready and
willing to talk, but obviously it is diff
/ f1cult tor any one to talk with Ger
many until the elections reveal whether
Adolf Hitler. National Socialist leader,
is going to succeed Chancellor Heinrich
Bruening at the head of the German
government. And on the French side
it would be difficult for France to make
| concessions either to Italy or Germany
until after the French elections, now
scheduled for the end of April
The reason why the conference Is
adiourning until April IL is that the
second ballot of the German elections
occurs April 10. The Europeans wanted
, to adjourn until May. that is until
after the French elections, and con-
sented to meet in April only under
pressure from the American, Japanese
and Russian delegations.
Meanwhile nevertheless, something
is being done regarding these European
disputes. There have been talks be-
tween France and Great Britain, and
between France and Italy and. with
the view apparently of engaging in
more general negotiations little later.
the French have launched the idea of
union of the Danube States on the
basis of preferential tariffs.
Frances allies-CzechoSloV Jugo-
..
gary and Austria, though in dire need
OF economic and financial help, are
suspicious and hesitant. Great Britain
Is lukewarm, Germany firmly opposed
and Italy, after first seeming to ap-
prove, now is hanging back, possibly
until it has seen on what terms a gen.
eral Franco-ltalian agreement might
be reached.
u. s. Contributing,
Thus the Disarmament Conference
is perhaps preparing the way for the
conclusion of genuine peace in Europe
And it is q curious fact that indirectly,
perhaps unconSciously, the United
States is contributing to this effort
The Stimson non-recognition prin-
ciple seems to line up the United
States against forcible territorial re-
vision of the treaties. which is what
France and its allies profess they main
ly fear. At the same time the Amer
lean disarmament plan seems to line
up the United States on the side of
Germany in the disarmament problem.
If, under this double American i'm
petus, Germany were accorded some
thing like equality of ornaments,
while after the election 1t should find
itself in position 10 abandon any idea
Of forcible revision of the treaties. the
way for Franco-German agreement
would seemingly be open and the sue
cess OF the Disarmament Conference be
virtually assured.
tCopyright, 1882