Evening star., 1933-05-15
The Nazis' New Threat.


In Washington, that unexpected perils
confront the World Economic Confer
ence which Is to open at London on
June -. 1t is the announcement that
Chancellor Hitler will address a spe-
cially convened session Of the Reichs-
tag at Berlin on Wednesday and re-
affirm Germanys demand to rearm
that suddenly fills the European situa-
ton with uncertainty and alarm. BY
an iron!cal coincidence, the proclama-
ton of Herr Hitler's purpose synchro-
nized last Friday with the joint state
ment issued by President Roosevelt and
DR.. Schacht, the head of the German
Reichsbank, in which it was set forth
that economic disarmament" at Lon
don must be preceded by military dis
armament at Geneva.
If Chancellor Hitler using his pup
pet parliament at Potsdam as sound
ing board, thunders to the world, as
he is expected to do, that Germany
insists upon arms equality" regard
less of the restrictions now imposed
upon her by the Treaty of Versailles
indications are ample that all lmme-
diatc prospects Of disarmament accord
at Geneva vanish into thin air. The
Reich government during the past
week has been formally put on notice
in both London and Paris that any
attempts on Germany's part to make
herself more formidable on land and
sea and in the air will not be counte-
nanced. About the same time these
British and French warnings were Is
sued the Geneva conference let 1t be
known that Hitler's private armies OF
Brown Shirts and Steel Helmets, ag-
gregating some 100000 trained men,
must be considered, for disarmament
purposes, German military electives
a theory which the Na1 dictators
anerily resent. Viscount Hallsham,
British war secretary, bluntly In
formed the House of Commons that IT
the Germans proceed to rearm, the
Versailles sanctions would unhesitat-
ingly be invoked. These provide Tor
the march of what formerly were Al
lied forces into the Rhine Valley, where
they have been before for punitive
purposes.
No stretch of the imagination Is re-
ouired to envision the atmosphere nte
which Europe has been plunged by the
newest manifestations of Hitlerism. "A
state of affairs already delicate in the
extreme is not relieved by the bellicose
speech delivered in Westphalia last
night by Col. Won Papen, Hitler's wee
chancellor, who talked on Mothers day
of the sacred duty of German women
to bear sons for the battlefield.
The interest of the United States In
Hitler's plans for augmented military
and naval power is twofold. Our i'm
mediate concern is the effect these
plans must have upon the European
political situation and the arrange
ments now in the making for nsuring
a successful outcome from the LONDON
Economic Conference. To President
Roosevelt current events lover there
must bring a poignant personal sense
of disappointment, not to say disgust
for they palpably threaten to under
mine, if not destroy, the work he has
accomplished during the past fou'
weeks, during his conversations with
foreign statesmen at Washington, ir
laying the foundations for achievement
at London.
Americas other concern in Germany
arms aspirations has to do with the up
setting of the international naval situa'
ton. Should the Reich contrive tt
enforce its demand for 26,oO0-tor
cruisers, in addition to the powerful
10 ,oco-ton pocket battleships' Ger
many is already building, France. ane
probably Italy, will be certain to re-
| ouire a revision of the inferior ratio
of sea power they jointly occupy q!
against Great Britain. The British
thereupon would not fail to revise theil
own ratio upward. Then the Unites
States, on its part, would have to NEE
the British increase, If Uncle Sans
fleet were to retain that parity will
the strongest naval power, which ha'
been definitely adopted as our irredu
chile minimum. The Treaty OF Londor
provides for just such contingencies
as these in its celebrated "escalator'
clause.
The Nazis will not heighten thei
popularity in the world. already at lov
ebb, if it is they who make 1t neces
sary for the sea powers to pile up fresf
and burdeEsome ornaments.