Evening star., 1933-10-09
NEW DELAY FORCED
| BY ARMS SESSION
Lndon, Paris, Berlin and
Washington Strive Apparent
" in Vain for Terme.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

Will iIoS oPcHco tOOdy az ScucFo
after four months holiday, is heading
toward another adjournment, a much
longer one than the previous, 1t was be-
lieved today in diplomatic quarters in
Washington.
Efforts are being made at Geneva, in
London, Paris, Berlin and Washington
to avoid such an adjournment, which
Is bound to be considered everywhere
as the death knell of the disarmament
idea, but there is but little hope that
all agreement. even on a minor scale.
can be reached. The German and the
French point Of view on the major is
sues continues to be still SO far apart
that continuation of the conference
appears useless.
AS things stand today, the Germans
are in an unfavorable position-their
demands for token" armaments ap-
pear unacceptable to the major pow
ers. including Italy
On the other hand, the German gov
ernment is in strong position with its
own people and with those nations
which are gathered at Geneva with a
view to obtaining some immediate arms
reductions
German Level Demanded.
The Germans claim that in view OF
the preamble of the Versailles treaty,
they are entitled to demand an imme-
dlate disarmament Of all nations to a
level approaching the German level
In any case they do not consider 1t pos
slble for Germany to remain the only
nation in the world without what they
call defensive weapons" such as tanks,
certain types Of airplanes, heavy guns
and Notifications These weapons are
described by most nations as offensive,
but the Germans claim that as long as
other nations and especially their
neighbors possess them. they are de-
fensive arms as far as Germany Is
concerned
The Hitler government maintains
that its request for token armaments"
as long as the other nations do not re-
duce theirs substantially, cannot offend
any nation, since at the end of period
OF four years. which has been proposed
by the French as holiday during which
no nation should be permitted to in
crease its armaments. Germany would
still be far behind France and her
allies
Consequently the Germans demand
either an immediate drastic reduction
in all types of arms by all the nations
Germany to construct a few airplaneS
| tanks and heavy guns for training
purposes"
Inc French are opposed to this Ger
man demand and are considered un-
| likely to yield their present position
which is: Germany has not given anv
proofs of sincerity in regard to dis
armament. On the contrary. since the
advent of Hitler to power Germany's
/ manhood is being drilled as a military
force. To permit Germany TODAY to
begin constructing offensive weapons
would mean to encourage the militaris-
TIC elements in Germany which have
in any case. at present, the upper
hand in the Reich.
French Four-Year Proposal.
Consequently. the French propose the'
! there should be period of four years
during which time no nation shall be
permitted to increase its armaments
During this time. an efficient commits
sion of control shall be established with
the right to Investigate any infringe
ment of the eventual agreement. Afte'
that period, when Germany's good faith
| has been tested, a new conference shal.
meet to decide upon some actual arms
/ reductions and at that time GERMANY
shall be permitted to construct the type
OF weapons she is demanding now.
| Because France does not propose ar
! increase in armaments. although she
| proposes no reduction either, the other
/ principal powers are siding with her.
| Great Britain has announced this in
! unequivocal terms. The United States,
has not made any formal announcement
lately. but the policy for reduction OF
armamentS, ennunciated by President
! Roosevelt last May. shows clearly that
this country cannot be in sympthy with
! the German request either Italy de-
! slres reduction of armamerts al
| though. up to point, sees some grounds
! 10 the German request that the other
/ nations live up to the spirit of the Ver-
| sailles treaty and begin some immediate
| reductions in their huge military ma
| chinery
! But, in spite of this general disap-
| proval of Hitler's point of view. it is
| felt that Germany cannot recede from
! her present position. and although the
| may amend some of its deman nds. she
| will insist on token armaments unless
| the others begin to reduce their pres
| ent war machinery.
Mussolini for Adjourning.
| Because of this insuperable gulf be-
| tween the German and the French point
some time ago an adjournment of the
| Geneva Conference. He lid not put
this forward in a blunt manner. but
! suggested that the four European pow
! ers. Great Britain, France. Italy and
! Germany. get together to discuss the
| problem. and when they have reached
an agreement the general limitation of
| arms conference shall be summoned
! again.
Mussolini'S move was blocked by the
! smaller nations. to which France and
| the United States adhered. II was
| thought by the optimistic diplomats at
Geneva that Germany was putting up a
bluff and that confronted with a firm
opposition to her rearming by the prin-
| cipal nations of the world, she would
WELD and accept the French thesis.
| Now that it has become evident that
whatever moral pressure may be applied
against Germany, Hitler will stick to
/ his guns and insist on Germany's right
! to build some token" ornaments, the
! Geneva diplomats find themselves in a
: quandary and Mussolini's idea seems to
them necessarily acceptable.
| For the time being during this week
there is going to be good deal Of
| jockeying for position and lot of work
behind the scenes. The various delega-
| llOllS Will SO lAlO q anu OiSSuoo
the best means to reach token agree
ment." that is to say an agreement
which will mean nothing. and yet will
be interpreted as the first step toward
an actual reduction.
1t is hoped, by these diplomats that
Germany may be bluffed into an &C
ceptance of such solution. but all the
reports frcm Geneva and from Berlin
indicate that the Germans will remain
adamant in their present demands az
will rather accept a public spanking
from the other powers and be denounc-
ed as the stumbling block to general
disarmament than accept the present
position which they consider inequitous.
ENGINEERS TO MEET