Evening star., 1932-07-21
ARMS RESOLUTION
PROTEST BREWING
Germany and Russia Ex.
pected to Oppose Draft For
muiated by Other Nations.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

SpeClaI DlSpdtCIl u Ic OldI.
GENEVA, July 81 International
politics dominated the disarmament
conference here today. A demonstra
tion by Russia and Germany against
the new draft resolution formulated by
the American, British, French and
Italian delegations, and which Hugh S.
Gibson. chief American representative,
declared to be the maximum of agree
ment which can now be achieved" was
generally expected when the commits
sion resumed its session late this after
! noon.
Moreover, there is said to be pos
sibility that Italy may desert the draft,
which it helped to negotiate, and join
in the protest. Instead of wiring the
text in the usual way, Gen. Italo Balbo,
Italian air minister, who is noted for
his fervent Italian nationalism, has
taken 1t in person by airplane to Rome
and, until the results of his talk with
Premier Benito Mussolini are known,
Italy's attitude must be considered
doubtful.
Would Weaken Effect.
Opposition by certain states, which
heretofore have been called the revis-
ionist group because of their avoWed
intent to force treaty revision against
the status quo stand of France and its
allies, would undoubtedly weaken the
otherwise good effect of the draft res
olution.
However, the United States. Great
Britain and France are standing to-
gether in defense of the result Of their
laborious compromises and it is be-
lieved that the entire text, possibly with
lew amendments or reservations, will
be adopted by tomorrow night.
These last-minute political difficulties
were doubtless inevitable, but they have
been aggravated and complicated by
recent important events, particularly
the new Franco-British entente the
assumption Of power in Prussia by the
German chancellor, Lieut.. Col. Franz
Won Papen, and the sudden elimination
by Mussolini of Dino Grandi Italian
foreign minister.
Entente Is Sensation.
The Franco-British entente con-
tinues to be the sensation of Europe.
While its import, perhaps, have been
unduly exaggerated in Paris and un-
duly belittled in London, and while
only time can reveal its true mean
ing, inside diplomatic circles through
out Europe tend to regard it as gen.
uine Franco-British entente
The specific invitation extended in
the entente text to Italy, Belgium and
Germany and the general invitation to
all other European states to join Is re-
garded as mere formula calculated to
cloak the intimate nature of this new
Franco-British collaboration in inter-
national affairs
Italy joined Immediately in the hope,
it Is said, Of modifying the exclusive
Franco British character of the en-
tente. Belgium also joined. Germany
hesitates still and Poland Is asking in
formation with view, perhaps, to
joining.
ItaIo- German Plan Checked.
All this, however, will probably not
alter the new Franco British predomi-
nance in Europe The entente, there
FORE tends to isolate Germany and force
Italy either to change its attitude toward
France or accept a similar isolation.
In other words, the Italo-German
treaty revision policy aimed at isolating
France has been for the moment COM
pletely checkmated and the diplomatic
disarray in both Berlin and Rome ap-
pears considerable.
Lieut.. Col. Won Papen's offer of a
military alliance to France at Lausanne
shocked both Rome and Moscow. Rus
sia, moreover, Is now too deeply en-
gagged politically in the Far East to play
an active role in Europe. Russia, in
deed, is making a series of non-aggres-
sion pacts with Poland, Rumania and
the Baltic States, which can hardly be
o%b1r than Sicodv,o MT RI Ger.
treaty revision policy.
1t is accordingly felt here that Ger
many doubtful of Russia and doubtful
of Italy. faced with major crisis at
home and the Anglo-French entente
abroad, will not finally oppose the draft
but will merely abstain from
the vote. This appears all the more
likely as the United States is standing
Loyalty with France end Great Britain
in defense of the draft.
Germany Bound to U. S.
Moreover, it is perhaps too often for
gotten that the military clauses of the
treaty of Versailles form Fart of the |
American-Germanpeace treaty. |
so that in the matter Of disarmament
Germany is bound to the United States
no less than the Versailles signatories. |
Russia's objections to the draft reso-
luton are well known and were antici- |
pated, for Russia, while it co-operates |
In many Geneva activities. has always
opposed and criticized the
efforts of the capitalist imperialist |
states" to straighten out their affairs.
Much may therefore depend upon the
Italian attitude. Italy, it Is said, is at
the crossroads. Either it can oppose |
the resolution, block the work Of the
conference and resume its efforts to en- |