Evening star., 1932-10-03
GERMAN DEMAND
JUST, B0RAH SAYS
Asks All Nations to Join
Hands to Make Arms
Parley a Success.
Continued From First Page.)

tCOntlnued From First Page.)
but essentially and fundamentally just.
The desire for equality in all respects
in the family of nations is inherent
and inextinguishable in the hearts and
minds of every self-respecting people.
This question of equality Is far more
than the technical question OF the
weight of ornaments between Germany
and the signatories of the Versailles
Treaty. In involves the deeper and
wider problem whether the governments
of Europe have arrived at the point
where they are willing to deal with
each other upon basis OF peace rather
than that of war-upon principles OF
equality and justice. Such are the
principles obtaining between nations IN
time of peace. and the question Is:
Whether we have reached the place
where We are willing to consider our
relationship upon the basis of peace.
If the terms and principles of the
Versailles Treaty. based upon the theory
of victor and victim. are still in full
force and are to remain SO. diSarma-
ment will be. as it thus has been, a
failure. There is nothing more unrea-
Sonable. more unfair, no greater obstacle
to world recovery, than the idea of
holding great nation within the bounds
established at the close of the war
The great question is: Shall all ma
tions be treated upon the basis of
equality? That is the supreme ques-
ton which has been raised. The other
signatorieS have it within their power
not only to meet this demand of equal
ity with Germany bv disarming. but by
doing so to serve the cause of peace
and to render an incalculable service
to humanity
The plea for the sanctity of treaties
is sound. but it should and must include
all parties. The Versailles Treaty has
not been observed with reference to
disarmament by the governments which
dictated its terms and contemporaries
ously construed them. Instead of
Europe disarming, as it was bound to do,
II the spirit of the treaty was to be
observed, it has been arming ever since
the Versailles Treaty was written.
Declares Pacts Menaced.
It may be. and probably is, true as
contended that technically the treaty
in this respect has not been violated
But technically to observe the terms Of
treaty while violating it in spirit and
moral purpose is in some respects more
1ndefensible than open rejection. That
practice renders all treaties practically
worthless. The Nine-PoWer Treaty, the
Kellogg Pact, the Covenant of the
League. are now being menaced. if not
wrecked, and the whole machinery of
peace threatened under this practice OF
technical observance, while in spirit
and IN moral purpose all are being dis
regarded with impunity. Such things
make treaties something more than a
shar1. worse than a miserable pretense.
German does not claim. as I under
stand that she has technical right
to disregard the Versailles Treaty. But
ell the wcrld knows the spirit of the
treaty has been disregarded by the
other signatories, and Germany claims
that under such circumstances her case
is entitled to be heard in court of
conscience.
1t is contended that the time is in
opportune to raise this question. But
It is one of those kinds OF questions
which does not and can not consult
the niceties of procedure on proprieties
as to when 1t shall come forward
for consideration. A question which
arouses a sense Of injustice, a feeling
of inferiority and humiliation. to say
nothing of fear, upon the part of a
whole people. has way, as Thomas
Carlyle would say. of getting itself
heard regardless Of propriety and op-
portuneness
In my own view the time is extreme
ly opportune to raise these postwar
problems and adjust them on the basis
of peace. More than 13 years have
passed, and the suffering and sacrifice
the loss to individuals and nations by
reason of these unsettled problems are
beyond the power of language to ex-
press The forces which retard the
~ tbn vi
the hangover questions Of the war.
The forces which seek to keep alive
and build up war mentally are the
same unsettled questions.
How much longer is the world to
wait for the settlement of these prob
lens which have already brought and
are still to bring so much misery and
hunger and starvation to uncounted
millions in all parts of the world?
1t is being industriously urged that
Germany's demand for equality will
wreck the conference Why should
this be SO? The terms of the Yer
sailles Treaty relative to disarmament
were carefully worked out by eminent
experts such as Gen. Foch. with view
of bringing about real disarmament
no faults. no pretended disarmament
in Germany. With the terms of this
treaty before them and with Germany's
demands accentuating the effectiveness
of its terms, the conference will have
an example to emulate.
Up to Other Powers.
This question of equality is wholly
within the control of the other powers.
They can bring about real disarmament
and thus render Germanys demand a
thing of great good instead Of thing
of great harm. If the conference fails,
the disarmament cause comes to an
ignorable end, and the fault will rest
with the "allied and associated powers"
and not Germany.
Germany has disarmed. Her demand
Is that the other powers give her a
position of equality-not that she be
permitted to arm. 1t is due to the
other nations that Europe is an armed
camp-that Europe has an army of
4,500,000 men-that the leading nations
are extorting from their tax-ridden
people 100000 year for arma-
mentS.
Now these nations have not been
arming against Germany, for she has
been disarmed Nevertheless, they have
been arming upon a stupendous and
1ncefensible scale. When the treaty