Evening star., 1933-05-16
ROOSEVELT MOVES
TO SAVE ECONOMIC
AND ARMS PARLEYS
Continued From First Page }

a. ot o6Nst
tiers the Presidents statement was fully
expected, but it was thought it would
at Geneva. who was to express the
Presidents views at a plenary meeting
Of the delegations OF the limitation OF
arms conference
Hitler's attitude precipitated this
declaration and the President chose to
make it himself in order to give it
more emphasis.
But the question Of the coming
troubles in the Far East was fully dis
cussed with Macdonald and Herriot
and the impression was gained here
that these important nations would
work hand in hand with the United
States II this country would shoulder
some responsibility in keeping peace In
Europe
or course. the primary reason for the
Presidents declaration was to save the
Geneva Conference.
Although the American Government
would like to see a real disarmament
as result Of that conference, the
President Is willing to accept even q
partial success BY this is meant he
would want the nations gathered at
Geneva to agree to do away with what
is called the offensive weapons. These
are heavy artillery. large tanks, war
planes and poison gas.
Presidents Arguments Backed.
The reason why the United States
Government wants these abolished is
that their possession by big powers puts
the smaller or weaker nations in q dis s-
tinct disadvantage for the defense OF
their frontiers
The Presidents arguments cannot be
challenged. In the present Sino- -Japa-
nese war, the Japanese troops were
able to put to flight much larger
army Of the Chinese every time they
came in contact. merely by the use OF
airplanes and tanks.
These new offensive war weapons
render all Notifications useless And
it is for this reason that Mr.. Roose-
welt opposes the German request for
equality IN ornaments" which means
that Germany desires to build for her
self the same type Of offensive weapons
the French and the Poles have. If Ger
many. 1t is said. with her large and
we'll disciplined populations-every man
between the age Of II and 55 is po-
tential soldier-were to have the Of
fensive weapons she requests, all the
fortif1cations in the world could not
enable her neighbors to live in security
The French have given. through M
Herriot, definite assurances here that
they were willing to proceed to q grad
uAl reduction Of their offensive arms
provided the nations which do not
possess them at this moment continue
dissrming. Nobody expects an imme-
diate junking of all the tanks and
heavy guns and military airplanes, but
If a beginning is made, the feeling OF
animosity will begin to disappear grad
ually. and with the possibility Of coming
to certain final conclusions at the Lon
don Economic Conference a spirit OF
good will may again prevail In the
world. When this occurs all nations
may find their large armies unnecessary
and will maintain only the necessary
forces for the preservation of law and
order, as Is the case in America.
Further Step Forced.
This, Of course, forces the United
States to contemplate taking another
step in the field of international CO.
operation.
1t Is not for the sake Of reptition
that the President brought forth the
Kellogg pact in his final paragraph OF
his statement.
He urged the nations to ENTER into q
solemn and definite pact Of non-ag-
gression; that they should solemnly
reafiirm the obligations they have as
sumed to limit and reduce their arma-
ments and, provided these obligations
are faithfully executed by all signatory
powers, individually agree that they
will send no armed force Of whatsoever
nature across their frontiers"
This is not merely the expression OF
. pious wish.
The President, in his conversations
with the representatives Of the prin-
cipal powers who visited him In Wash
ington, told them definitely that Amer
lea would jc:n in a consultative pact, II
the Geneva Limitation Of Arms Con-
ference were successful. Mr.. Roosevelt
promised nat America would have an
official representative at Geneva to
work with the representatives Of other
nations every time there was an actual
threat to the worlds peace.
That representative would participate
in the discussions for the definition OF
an aggressor and If the United States
Government agreed with the verdict OF
the other nations, as to the aggressive
power the United States Government
would take the necessary steps to cut
of that nation from all the economic
and financial resources of this country.
Two Ways to Coerce.
The President believes that in the
present situation of the world there can
be no neutrals. Once q nation Is found
to have been the aggressor the duty
Of all other nations Is to do their ut
most and by peaceful means to coerce
that country to respect her solemn OBJ
legations.
This is going to be done in two ways:
First, by depriving the nationals Of this
country from the protection of the
American nag in their dealings with
the aggressor nation, and second. by
helping financially and economically
the nation which has been attacked.
BY this complete departure from
Americas traditional policy Of mo en-
tanglements," and by cooperation IN
peace time as 1t has never before been
known in the history Of the United
States, the President hopes to force the
hands Of the recalcitrant nations to
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