Evening star., 1933-09-24
AMERICAN ARMS
STAND UNCHANGED
High Authority States Active
Cooperation Depends on
Actual Reduction.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

Inc pOSltlon OF Cne American Govern
ment in regard to limitation Of arms
has not changed since last May, when
President Roosevelt announced the
active cooperation of this country with
the other nations gathered at Geneva
is wholly dependent on what actual
and concrete disarmament can be OBJ
tanned from the other powers, it was
stated yesterday on high authority.
Ambassador at Large Norman Davis
is at present In Pcris, where he has
participated at t., . discussions between
the French and the British The i'm
portance of these discussions can be
seen from the fact that not only the
French and the British delegates talked
the disarmament problem. over. but the
lord president Of the British cabinet.
Mr.. Stanley Baldwin, and the prime
minister of france, M. Edouard Dala-
dier, attended the meetings, too.
The time-honored official commu-
nique was issued at the end Of yester-
days meeting as fully Informative for
the public. as were all the other COM
muniques which have been issued since
secret diplomacy was abolished at the
end Of the World War. The COM
munique revealed that the object of
this, reunion is to facilitate the pro-
ceedings of the disarmament confer
ence on its resumption. Substantial
progress was made with this task"
Line Of Least Resistance.
The fact is that representatives of
the United States. Great Britain and
France attacked the line of least re-
sistance. The British are more likely
to be IN harmony with the French
point OF view regarding disarmament
than the two other principal powers,
Germany and Italy, which did not par
ticlpate at the Paris conversation The
United States representative was at the
meeting mostly as an observer, and all
ne was able to say was merely to re-
peat the point of view of the Presi-
dent. which is that this country would
do anything in its power to assist some
actual and real disarmament.
There Is grave doubt in well informed
quarters In Washington as to the pros
poets of success Of the limitation of
arms conference. The situation as it
stands at present offers but little hope
Tor an agreement amongst the four
principal European powers and their
associates.
rIencn Suggest Commission.
The French. gravely concerned over
the situation in Germany, have put for
ward scheme whereby the main issue
at the limitation of arms conference
will be the organization of a commission
for the control and supervisor of arma-
ments. Then. for perod of four years,
the present status quo in regard to the
land and air armaments shall be main
tanned. That is to say, that no nation
shall be permitted to increase its arma-
ments during this trial period; but dur
ing this time requirements of the exist
ing ornaments shall be permitted.
The military electives of the various
nations would be limited in accordance
with the Macdonald plan: that is to
say, that while France will be permit
ted to maintain 10000 men metro
politan troops and 100000 men colonial
troops, Germany will be allowed to in
crease its electives from 100 600 reichs-
wehr troops. to 100000. But in the
meantime. the system Of professional
armies, so dear to Germany now, shall
be abandoned.
These are the main lines Of the
French proposals. which are said to have
been favorably received by the British
statesmen.
Davis Approval Doubtful.
Whether Ambassador Davis has been
able to commit himself to any express
sion of approval is highly doubtful. The
French proposal does not contain any
indication of an actual and constructive
disarmament Its main object is to
supervise and control the existing ar
.maments, which the American Gov
iernment considers as being too large
and burdensome The American col
laberation was based principally on an
immediate reduction Of all armaments.
Consequently 1t Is highly doubtful
whether the President will be willing to
commit the United States IN any
schemes for armament control, unless
the basic condition-effective disarma-
ment-is complied with.
But, on the other hand. the French
government will find 1t very dimcut to
make any further concessions. 1t is
stated: from authoritative quarters.
Some months ago, when the Bruen-
ming cabinet was in ONCE, France, 1t Is
stated, may have agreed to some re-
duction of its war equipment and pos.
sibly to some token, rearmament OF
Germany Just enough to placate the
German public opinion.
Today. however, France feels Ger
many Is USCOlIlAl6 SlO"AiSN AAASA
The youth Of the nation Is being drilled
as an effective army with much more
ardor than has been the case in the
past. Germany wants to break the
shackles of the Versailles treaty whether
the other nations agree to 1t or not
German nationalism is rampant, and
the French feel 1t. is a direct menace
to their national safety. It is for this
reason that no French government
which wishes to remain In ONCE can
agree to permit Germany to rearm or
allow its own war equipment to be re-
duced
For this reason the outlook ct &c.
neva is gloomy. There Is no doubt
that the delegates of the various ma
tions will make long speeches exhcrting
the others to agree to, some sort ct
disarmament" but 1t Is felt even by
the most ardent well-wishers Of the
Limitation of Arms Conference that
nothing tangible can result from the
coming meeting. II an open row can
be avoided, they will consider them
selves fortunate.
Adept at diplomatic Coueism."
The distinguished. diplomats who are
gathering at Geneva are still firm
adopts at diplomatic Coueism." They
believe that by making speeches and
declarations that everything is all right
and that tn. situation Is improving
every day in every way the situation
will improve in the end. But nobody
there seems to want to take into con-
sideration the temper of the various
nations, which has reached high
point Of tension. Men like Arthur
Henderson and Lord Cecil still speak
of the disasters which will visit the
an impression with the masses as
was the case when the conference
opened 18 months ago.. But the ma
tions of the world are now educated to
failure Of conferences. The same staple
sentence had been used In connection
with the World Economic Conference,
when it was stated that unless that
conference was success the world