Evening star., 1933-11-26
HITLER REPORTED
TALKING ARMS CUT.
German Chancellor Holds Sc
+ cret Conference With
French Envoy.
ny the Associated Press.

BERLIN, November 25.-A secret visit
of the French Ambassador Andre Fran
cois-Poncet to Chancellor Adolf Hitler
and their conference, repeatedly on Ger
many's return to disarmament discus
sions. aroused intense interest tonight.
It was understood that Hitler, VINO
six weeks ago today startled the world
BY withdrawing from the Geneva DIS
armament Conference and the League,
reoue. ed the conversation and that the
French envoy readily accepted the IA
vitatiCl.
The two met yesterday and news OF
the interview leaked out only by accl-
dent in governmental circles, much 10
the chagrin of M Francois-Poncet, VINO,
1t was said, wished. like Hitler, tnat
nothing be said about 1t.
Accosted tonight at the annual pan
of the Foreign Press, M. FRANCOIS salu.
Il am very much surprised SO nlucn
fuss has been made about II. Vlsi'
Hitler about once month IN the hot-
NAL course of affairs, and rTloay 5 iiee'-
ing was nothing unusual.
From a reliable German source 1t
was learned the German government IS
definitely through with the League OF
Nations. whose apparatus is CONSIDERED
bv the Reich as cumbersome. IL was
said that. heartened by the success OF
his talk with Polish ENJOYS, Hitler now
fs turning westward in an effort 10 ar
rive of an understanding with otner
powers bv the method of bilateral con-
VersationS.
New Policy Seen.
The reason offered for the secrecy
was that France yesterday was without
a government after the defeat OF Ere
nnier Albert SaurTautS cab1neC On Ii1e
budgetry measure.
n, was assumed In diplomatic quar-
ters that Hitler'S request constituted an
inauguration of his declared pohcy OF
dealing individually with representatives
of various powers and that, after sue
cessful personal negotiations with the
Polish envoy, the same course Will pe
followed by the chancellor IN his re-
lations with France.
: Some observers said it was really the
old diplomacy, like the prodlgal son. re-
turning home again.
= Satisfaction, however, was expressed
on many sides at what bids fair to te
a prelude to a series of personal nego-
tiations on the vexing Franco German
problems.
Much will naturally depend on in
etruc Ions Francois Poncet will receive
in tt course of the next few days from
the 7cw head of the French govern
ment.
g For one version of the conference
that the interview had to do with COM
plants about the Petit Parisien's al
legged revelations regarding reported
propaganda campaigns abroad by Ger
many-there seemed to be no founda-
tiOn.
Rather, highly placed circles appeared
to be of the opinion that this marked
the beginning of direct negotiation and
was part of free exchange Of views
on disarmament.
1t was pointed out that the British
foreign secretary, Sir John Simon, told
the House of Commons yesterday that
Great Britain had communicated with
the Italian, French and German gov
sernmentS about arms conversations in
(which Germany should be treated not
as target for dictation" but as "a
partner for discussion"
Exchange Of Beliefs.
Hitler remained closeted with the
French envoy for about an hour in
*
whatever was officially divulged here, a
well informed source indicated 1t would
not be accurate to describe the meet
ing as an actual beginning of negotia-
tionS.
Rather it was viewed as an exchange
of beliefs and viewpoints in preparation
for coming discussions embracing the
whole range of pending Franco-German
differences.
1t was added that the visit might
have taken place earlier but for Hit
1ers decision to seek the seclusion of his
country home ct Obersalberg earlier in
the week for reflection on a future
course of action.
It was indicated the conversation be-
tween them touched on the situation in
the Saar, where 1885 plebescite to de-
-ternine the national affinity OF the pop
.nlace is casting shadows in front OF 1t.
A campaign already has started, both
on the German and on the French side,
which, unless kept within bounds, might
keep the Saar population in state OF
unrest.
Discrimination Charged.
Germany's withdrawal from the Cen
eva councils was accompanied on Oc-
tober IA by an appeal to the German
people which read:
LAS the Reich's government sees In
this manner of procedure the con-
scious denial to Germany OF real
moral and objective equality at Ge-
neva) a discrimination against tne
German people as unjust as it Is hu-
initiating, it deems itself unable under
the circumstances as second-claSS
nation deprived of it's rights to partcl-
nate in the discussions which would
thereby only lead to new dictates.
"It expects from the German people
a manifestation of a similar love OF
peace and a readiness Tor peace, put
also of a similar conception OF honor
and a similar determination
At the same time Chancellor Hitler
maintained that this does not mean
in the least, however, that Germany
will turn a deaf ear to proposals lor
real peace; on the contrary, she Will
welcome every suggestion
Since that time the German people
IN a plebiscite voted 0verWnelmllgly ~
favor of the chancellor's foreign policy;
the Disarmament Conference was ad.
iourned until mid-January to permit
arms negotiations through diplomatlc
channels and statesmen in Rome anu
paris have conferred on the dlsarma-
n1ent impasse and ways for gettlng
Germany back into the discussions.
The Paris newspaper, Petit Par1slen'
last week printed what 1t called oocu-
ments purporting to show tnat tns
Berlin propaganda ministry had lssueo
instructions to agents TO pulo up d
,,ro-Gernan sentiment.