Evening star., 1932-02-07

tne WOIlQ, Illt SOllltItIlIS 4Ol
Limitation and Reduction OF
Armaments, summoned Febru-
srv 2 in conformity with the treaty of
Versailles and the League of Nation7
Covenant, with the full participation
of the United States and other COun-
tries not members of the League, is
now organized and ready to begin its
work
The assembled statesmen are seeking
q method of approach. What this
method will be it is too soon to say.
Indications are. however, that what Is
going to be held here is a sort OF
new peace conference, wherein the
principal disputes now poisoning the
international atmosphere and prevent
ing the restoration Of confidence, which
IS essential to return of prosperity, and
blocking arms reductions, will be dis
cuSsed openly with a view to finding
new constructive solutions.
This is the meaning of certain private
talks which are beginning between the
delegates. American and others. This
Is the sense of certain statements being
made and certain editorials being pub
lished in the local press.
Determined to Succeed.
Delegates of CzechOslovakia, Jugo-
slavia and Rumania have just held
confidential meeting. At its conclusion
VOja MarinkOvitch, JugoSlay foreign
minister. said: We have come here
with firm determination to succeed We
hope the conference will offer a series
of measures which will create new
and better international order
There could be no greater and more
dangerous mistake" says an editorial
in Journal de Geneve, than to con-
slider disarmament as purely military
problem It is a political problem be-
cause disarmament requires security. 1t
is an economic problem because
armament competition and tariff COM
petition are essentially similar 1t is a
financial problem in both its causes and
its consequences. Above all, it is a
moral problem demanding international
reConciliation-tha is to say, a frank
discussion of all the grave questions
which are dividing the nations"
Inquiry among the leading delegates
reveals that the disputes they think
should be settled in order to make
real reduction in ornaments possible
are the following.
The Sino-Japanese conflict. which
the League Council and the great
powers are already trying to handle
The Franco-Italian dispute, which is
preventing the full application of the
London naval treaty.
The problem Of unifying in some way
the small states of Central Europe
The Franco-Gcrman and the German
Polish quarrel-which includes the
reparatiOnS question. the German ella m
to equal ornaments, and the Germ an de-
mand for revision of its eastern frontiers
at PolandS expense
Expect StimsOn to Attend
This last problem is admittedly the
most difficult, yet it is widely felt that
until the So-called Polish Corridor issue
can be put on a new basis it will
probably be found impossible to settle
other items of Franco-German disagree
ment
There are indications that if and
when the conference begins dealing
openly with such grave problems as the
foregoing an effort will be made to
persuade American Secretary of State
Henry L. Stimson to come to Geneva
to take his place at the head of the
American delegation.
The real conference begins Monday
when, first, Sir John Simon, British for
eign minister, then Andre Tardieu of
France again will speak. followed, either
the same day Or Tuesday, by Hugh S.
GIBSON OF the United States and Chan
Cellor Heinrich Bruening of Germany.
The speeches will be statements of their
national positions.
In the present situation of the world,
no government apparently wants to re-
duce ornaments, yet, faced with the Sc
rious consequences which would ensue,
it is agreed, from the failure of the
conference. no government wants to
take purely negative attitude. For
example it is now denied that even
the United States will take a Skeptical
or negative attitude, as if holding itself
aloof. 1t appears certain that if this
ever was the intention of Washington,
it is so no longer. The American dele
cation seems to intend to throw its full
moral support and energies into the
general effort to face the realities and
get results.
In the course of organization there
have been one or two preliminary Skir
misheS which indicate what some of the
difficulties are going to be. The orig
inal plan to have five big commissions
has been dropped. There will be only
one commission, consisting Of the heads
of all the delegations, and its orienta-
ton will be political.
This means that the Leagues draft
convention, the result of years OF nego-