Evening star., 1933-05-01
MORE STATESMEN
ARRIVE THIS WEEK
Roosevelt to Hear Central
Europe's Side of Arms
Controversy.
Continued From First Page.)

| CONTINUED From First Page.)
has endeavored to work in full harmony
| with the American delegates at Geneva
and is supporting the idea Of q real
reduction of ornaments. Italy Is in q
dimcult economic and financial situa-
tion and the burden Of armament ex-
penditure is weighing heavily on her
budget. But as long as her neighbors
do not agree to disarm she feels COM
PEELED to carry on policy Of compet1-
| tive ornaments.
Because Mussolini realizes that no
conferences can achieve a positive re-
suit unless the political problems are
out Of the way. he suggested last month
to Ramsay Macdonald, the British
prime minister, q revision Of the most
irksome clauses Of the Versailles treaty.
Italy has little to gain from such q re-
| vision, except that in the long run she
may be able to claim certain conces-
sions In the domain Of the redistribu-
| ton of the colonies taken from Ger
many at the end Of the World War.
But this can occur In q more or less
distant future. The principal question
which will be discussed in Washington
and which applies Immediately to the
political recovery Of the world, Is the
Franco-Italian naval agreement.
Differences Remain.
The London naval conference ended
In three-power pact leaving Italy and
France outside that important treaty.
Ever since the end of that conference
in April, 1880, Great Britain and
America have been endeavoring to get
the French and the Italians to iron
out their difficulties. but they have
met with little success.
Last December the American dele
CATION at Geneva had found q salts
| factory solution, which was reported
to be acceptable to Mussolini and Ed
Guard Herriot, the French premier, but
the fall Of the Herriot cabinet q few
days after that solution had been de-
vised by Norman Davis and Admiral
A. ]. Hepburn, prevented the two an
tagonistic governments from acting
upon it.
It is reported that President Roosevelt
talked to M. Herriot about this matter
| and expects to resume these conversa-
tions with Rosso and Jung. The French
| consider the naval matter as only q side
issue Of the entire political problem Of
Europe and as long as the French gov
ernment suspects MuSsolini Of support
ing the Germans, 1t will be dificult to
find a partial solution to the disarma-
ment problem.
Talks With Schacht Important.
The conversations with DR.. schacht
will be far more important. Germany
| Is Americas debtor to the extent Of
some $2,5O0, ,00o, 900, and Germany is
also the stumbling block at the limita-
| tiOn of arms conference
The question Of the German private
debt to the United States Is for the
present Of only secondary Importance.
1t goes into the framework of the In
| ternational Economic Conference. But
Germany's position at the disarmament
conference is all important.
The German government demands
parity In armaments with all the other
nations. She does not intend to build
up at once to the strength of the other
powers, it Is said in Berlin, but she
former allies, and especially her neigh
bors. France and Poland, agree to re-
duce to her strength. Furthermore,
Germany insists on speedy solution of
the Polish Corridor question. which
! implies revision Of the Versailles treaty.
Will Present Case In Full.
DR.. Schacht is not only an able fnan-
cial expert. but also has a thorough
understanding Of the political situation
He will put before the President the
German case in full, and point out the
reason why Germany insists on the for
mer allies living up to the disarma-
ment promises provided in the Ver-
sailles treaty and also its contentious
why the Corridor should be returned to
Germany at an early date
DR.. Schacht's position will be some
what difhcult.
The political conversations between
| President Roosevelt, Mr.. Macdonald
and M. Herriot have been thorough.
Both men have explained to Mr. Roose-
welt the difficulties Of the Geneva con-
ference and the reasons why the Ger
man thesis Is unacceptable to France
Mr.. Roosevelt that while they both
favor revision of the Versailles treaty
to include a solution of the corridor
question, such q revision, they said, was
untimely and would more likely precip-
ttate a conflict in Europe than avert It,
Herriot and Macdonald have left
Washington fully convinced that the
President Is in agreement with their
point Of view. It was reported In
French and British quarters that the
President had agreed to the Macdonald
plan of quantitative disarmament and
that he had accepted the French thesis
that Germany shall disband the Reichs-
wehr and replace it by a conscript
army serving under the colors not more
than IL months.
Davis Attitude Different.
The President also was reported to
be in favor Of setting up permanent
control body to inspect the status Of
armies after the limitation Of arma-
ments has been agreed upon. And
finally he was reported to favor the
French thesis that Germany should not
be permitted to build even sample"
tanks and heavy guns, as the German
government has been demanding. Some
credence to these reports Is given by the
| fact that in the last three days Am
bassador Norman Davis has taken .
much flrmer attitude at Geneva.
Whether the Germans will bow to
these reported agreements is q queS-
tion which will be announced soon, not
IN Washington but at Geneva.
DR.. Schacht and DR.. Hans Luther,
the German Ambassador at Washing
ton, will try to explain to the Presi-
dent the reasons why Germany is op-
posed to this French thesis. It may be
that the President will be able to induce
the Germans to accept, at least par
TALLY. what has been discussed here
between him and the spokesman Of the
French government, in order to hasten
the conclusion of the limitation of arms
conference before the economic confer
ence meets in London on June II.
Others to Arrive This Week.
lie Breton, who Is the Argentine Am
bassador to France, will Join Felipe
Espil, Argentine envoy here, in con-
Quoting conversations with Mr.. Roose-
welt and American experts The pos
| sibilities of reciprocal tariff agreements,
the betterment Of world wheat prices