Evening star., 1933-10-10
REPORTS INDICATE |
STRAIN AT GENEVA
Observer Remarks Upor
Tense Attitudes of French
and Germans.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

<AA0ooSouoA OofO ACpOAIc 1EOul 0c-
neva indicate that the representatives
of the principal powers, including the
Germans and the French, continue
their conversations in a moderately
friendly atmosphere.
This fact in itself Is considered In
official quarters in Washington as an
encouraging sign. After the first SEN
sation created by the German verbal
note to the British and Italian gov
ernments, the Limitation Of arms dele
gates were afraid that at the first
meeting of the Steering Committee the
conversations would cease and the
French and the Germans would re-
turn to their respective countr:cs.
But, in spite Of the Official optimism
the Geneva negotiations, there is feel
ing of misgiving in responsible quarters.
both in Washington and abroad. The
optimism of the Geneva diplomats is
based mainly on the assumption that
nobody is sufficiently foolish to pre-
cipitate a crisis at the present moment"
Outside this logical assertion, there Is
nothing to indicate that the Geneva
conversations will amount to anything
at all.
Situation Is Complex.
The situation remains as complex as
it was at the end of the week when
the Germans served notice Of their in
tention of rearming unless the other
nations reduce their ornaments to their
level
The French remain opposed to the
idea of token armamentS," and they
are encouraged in their attitude by the
opposition the German demands have
found in most countries and especially
in America and in Great Britain.
The French admit that both In the
preamble of the Versailles treaty and
in article 8 of the same treaty the
former allies have undertaken to reduce
their own armaments. They maintain.
however. that the world was taking the
necessary steps toward that direction
when it became obvious the Germans
were endeavoring to evade the disarma-
ment clauses of that treaty. During the
last l8 months, the French assert, there
has been ample evidence that Germany
is rearming and the French are report
ed to be willing TO place that evidence
U6lOTe Lllc LSdSuc dt ally
Cannot Agree on Arms.
Because of this situation they cannot
agree with the Germans to grant them
the token armaments" They prefer
to leave matters as they stand and be
able to take advantage Of the sanctions
provided in the Versailles treaty against
Germany, rather than give Germany a
further possibility Of evading that
treaty bv the token ornaments"
The French further maintain that
once Germany is given that right. 1t
will be impossible for any commission
of control to verify what Germany Is
doing
During the life of the Military Con-
troll Commission, Immediately after the
war, certain amount of control was
possible only because German workers
were almost all Socialists and against
another war. 1t was they who de-
nounced any secret war preparations
which may have been going on in Ger
manv's manufacturing plants by giving
positive details to the officers in charge
of the inter allied arms control. The
situation is completely changed now
and there is not q single German
worker who would be willing to betray
the secrets of the German manufac-
turers who may be engaged in making
new war equipment.
Fear Dire Results.
If the Germans we're permitted by
an agreement at Geneva to manufac-
ture even few of the arms forbidden
them now. there is no saying in what
quantities they may be manufactured
in the near future. This is a factual
surmising Of the situation, as far as
the French are concerned
There Is no doubt that a literal in
depreciation of the Versailles treaty
gives Germany right to demand an
and drastic reduction of
and, by implication, they
may have the right to rearm if th.,
other nations do not follow the pro-
visions of that treaty. But their atti-
tude in the last few months toward
the rest of the world has been such
that it is highly improbable they
would find sympathetic hearing from
any OF the major powers at Geneva
This feeling, that the Germans have
overplayed their hand, is very strong
now. and the French are encouraged
in their attitude toward Germany Nv
the knowledge that never in the future
Will they find as sympathetic a pub
lie opinion as they have now.
Not Liable to Yield.
This feeling is likely to make the
French more adamant than in the
past, and according to reports from
Geneva it is highly unlikely that they
will yield to the Germans on any ma jor
point On the other hand. public opin-
ion in Germany has been worked up
to such pitch that it would be dan
gerous for Hitler to recede from his
claim. "Disarm at once, or we will
arm"
The American Government is not
fully sympathetic with the French
that effective disarmament
should begin only four years hence,
because the aim of President Roosevelt
is to begin scaling down ornaments
right away. But it is certainly much
less sympathetic with the German point
Of view which means an immediate
race with far-reaching con-
sequences.
Ambassador Norman Davis is en-
deavoring now at Geneva to find a
middle way to reconcile the French and |
the German point of view with the |
Ultimate object Of bringing about an i'm
mediate reduction Of armaments. even
if it were nominal enc. But in spite
Of his skill as negotiator it is doubted |
whether he will be able to bring to-
yether two Dramatically opposed views |
as the German and the French in an
of doubt and suspicion as
exists today in Europe.
s---