Evening star., 1933-10-13
Arms Crisis at Geneva.

Though negotiations looking to
agreement are still in progress, it IS
evident that the Geneva Disarmament
Conference has reached the point of
crisis and that the next few hours
must show whether. after twenty
months Of fitful existence. there is any
utility in attempting to prolong it.
Germany. apparently. has been
thwarted in the aspiration to possess
herself Immediately of arms in excess
of those permitted to her under the
treaty of Versailles. 1t is ON that con-
troversial question that the conference
faces the rocks. The Reich's demands
have encountered the stern opposition
of Great Britain and France. and. to
a somewhat lesser degree. of Italy. The
United States is opposed to them, too.
though the efforts of our spokesman
at Geneva. special Ambassador Nor
man H. Davis. have been mainly in
the direction of seeking to bring Ger
many and the western powers together
on some basis which would at least
permit discussions to continue. Mi
Davis has vigorously opposed anything
in the nature of an ultimatum to the
ReiHh.
Fkents may march rapidly with the
ar, ival in Berlin today, for conference
with Chancellor Hitler. of DR.. Nadolny,
Grmanys chief representative at Ge-
nNa. His recall from the conference
s,ene comedies with reports that the
Germans have considerably stiffened
their attitude and will insist upon the
acquisition of defensive armaments." "
dispute ranges around the so-called
'Hlfial period" of four or five years. or
less, during which all the European
powers would agree to maintain exist
ing military establishments without in
crease of any k-11. subjecting them
during the standstll period to inter-
national supervision. At the end CT
that period, it is proposed, all-around
reduction of armamentS on an agreed
scale would set in, with certain con-
.SSSolO1lo W l4lC w PNAlN4AAo eAie
reduction of other armies to poin:
nearer the German level. Germany
objects to these arrangements and
asks that she be allowed forthwith to
have at least samples" or tokens
of arms, now denied her such as heavy
artillery, Notifications, bombing planes
and tanks. On the theory that the
granting of Germany's demand would
constitute rearmament instead OF dis
armament, Great Britain. France and
the United States reject it.
As matters now stand the possibility
has to be reckoned with that Germany,
as she has previously threatened to do,
will bolt the conference. Should the
Reich decide upon that step, and
thereby indicate her resolve to be the
sole arbiter for armaments policy, sit
1uation would be automatically created
of grave and ominouS menace for the
peace Of Europe. 1t would necessarily
end all immediate hope of disarmament,
for Germany's neighbors, especially the
French, would be filled thenceforward
with anxiety and alarm over the Reich's S
intentions. The specter of war would
rise again.
Matters having reached this deplor-
able and incalculable impaSse, it is use
full to explore the conditions that
brought about the isolation of Germany
at Geneva. A key to the situation Is
found in pending diplomatic activities
at Berlin. There three other powers
Great Britain, the Netherlands and
Spain-have just joined the United
States IN expressing grave concern over
attacks upon their respective nationals
during recent months-in a number OF
cases by NaZi storm troopers. The
American Embassy is under instruc-
tions from Secretary Hull to inquire
what steps are being taken to prose-
cute Germans who have attacked alto
gether 81 citizens OF the United States.
All four protesting countries, the Asso-
ciated Press states, have made plain that
future relations with Germany may
hinge on the outcome of their repre-
sentations to the WilhclmStraSSe.
1t was inevitable that the effect OF
Germanys internal policies upon citi-
zens Of other countries, coupled with
certain aggressive manifestations OF the
Reichs foreign policy, notably the threat
10 Austria's independence, would mill
tate against Germany's hopes Of arms
concessions at Geneva. The net result
of$all these developments has been to
create doubt abroad of the pacific in
tentions of the German government
and stiffen resistance to the Reich's
appeal for arms equality" coupled. as
1t Is, with a firm refusal to enter into
any new pact based on the treaty OF
Versailles.