Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-09-26
EUROPE SEEKS0. s.
AID IN REICH CRISIS
Neutrality Here on Rearming
Issue Considered Blow
to Allied Hopes.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.


Europe is again looking toward the
United States for help to avert an in
ternational crisis by adopting a more
determined attitude regarding Ger
many's claim for equality in arma-
ments.
The British and the French foreign
offices, which have been hopeful at the
outset of the present crisis that America
would stand by them, are now puzzled
and worried lest the United States
should adopt an attitude of strict neu-
trality.
The French and British governments
believed that they could count on
Americas support for the following rea-
sons: Senator David Reed, who Is
thought in Europe to have a consider
able influence in the Senate and with
President Hoover, had visited London
and Paris, where he had long and i'm
portant conversations with Ramsay
Macdonald. Sir John Simon and
Premier Edouard Herriot.
Expected to Bargain.
What Senator Reed told these men Is
not revealed here, but it appears that the
statesmen had gained the impression
that the American Government was
willing to bargain with the European
powers on the basis of supporting the
Franco British thesis that Germany has
no right to ask for parity in ornaments
in exchange for the support CT those two
nations for an equitable settlement Of
the Sino-Japanese conflict on the basis
OF the Lytton report.
That America could support the allied
thesis was believed technically possible.
because the disarmament clauses of the
Versailles treaty had been incorporated
in section 5 of the German-American
peace treaty. All that America had to
90, Paris and London thought was to
inform Germany that this country was
not willing to have those clauses Of the
treaty altered
The belief of the French and the
the attitude adopted by the United
States was strengthened by the fact
that at the outset of the controversy
between France and Germany when
the German note was received in Paris.
the State Department appeared to SYM
path1Ze with the allied point of view
and let it be understood unofhcialIy
that the disarmament clauses of the
German-American treaty were of great
interest to the United States. This
not so much because this country coz
sidered itself in any danger by German
rearmament. but because it intended
to make this provision work in order
to further the limitation Of arms con-
ference.
Stimson Takes Hand.
Secretary Stimson, upon his return
from his vacation, took up this matter
and clarified the somewhat nebulous
policy of the State Department by gen.
eralizing the previous statements and
stating that the United States Govern
ment was opposed to any move which
may result in an increase instead of
decrease Of ornaments. President
Hoover last week went a step further
and, in order to dispel certain misap-
prehensionS, stated unequivocally that
the question of the Versailles Treaty
was matter concerning exclusively the
Europeans and that the only interest
OF the United States in these affairs
was the genuine desire of seeing the
reduction of arms conference succeed.
This statement of the President ap-
pears to worry the French and the
British foreign Offices who had thought
that they could rely on Americas sup
port to force Germany to withdraw her
request for parity in ornaments which
in fact means the right of Germany
to build up her army on the old lines
Of compulsory military service and con-
struction of such war implements as the
other nations possess today.
As result of this new situation,
Premier Herriot abandoned his attitude
of "let the Germans talk. France will
not answer" and in a speech made yes
terday afternoon, warned Germany
against her policies of defying the pro-
vision of the Versailles treaty.
France Ready to Act.
Herriot's speech is interpreted here
as the result of the endeavors of his
advisers, who. told him that Frances
present attitude is being considered in
Germany as an attitude of impotence,
and consequently France must again
show strength, and because the French
foreign Office and the general staff, re-
lying less now on Americas support,
had decided to warn Germany that
France still has powerful teeth and is
ready to bite if the Germans push
things too far.
The State Department continues to
refuse to comment on the developments
between France. Great Britain and
Germany. not wishing to be misinter-
preted in any of these countries. But
the American representatives abroad
are doing their utmost to smooth over
the situation without duplicating in
any way the United States.
This work is being done at Geneva,
in Berlin, in Paris and in London. In
all these capitals it is believed that
America can still play a decisive role
in the present European affairs. For
this reason the European governments
are eager at present to enlist Americas