Evening star., 1933-03-13
j. s. FEARING WAR
IN HOSTILE EUROPE
Roosevelt in Close Touch
With Franco German
4 Situation.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

President Roosevelt, In spite VI tIAe
dtcicuit situation at home. found time
last Friday to consult with Secre-
tary of State Cordell Hull and with
Norman Davis, the American disarma-
ment and economic expert Tor more
than an hour
Secretary Hull has reported to him
the general situation as 1t appeared
from the latest dispatches received py
the State Department while Norman
Davis has talked to him about the pos
sibility of achieving certain results at
the limitation of arms conference az
Geneva, where the French and the
British are making last efforts to save
the conference and obtain at least some
platonic results.
Minor Points Talked.
The Italian and American Govern
ments are trying to help. 1t is pro-
posed to wind-up this conference by
a treaty embodying certain minor
agreements which already have been
reached
It is considered possible that all the
nations involved may agree to limit the
size of the heavy guns and possibly
agree to reduce slightly their present
number. The same may be applied 10
tanks and super-tanks. Moreover, there
is possibility of coming to an unoer.
standing regarding the bombardment
of open cities both from air and lano;
If ali these agreements could be drafted
into a formal treaty to be signed by all
the participants the conference could
adjourn leaving the bureaus perma-
nently at Geneva to take up other
questions.
This idea is being advocated by Nor
man Davis, who though less optimistic
over the immediate results OF the con-
ference, still feels that something
MIGHT be done" later ON. when and II
thS other nations come to better un-
Outstanding among themselves.
U. s. Policy Changed.
The policy of the administration
seems to be that while America should
be ready to cooperate and support
whole -heartedly any move toward the
limitations of armaments, the days
when the American delegates tried to
ram down the throats of the other ma
tions the disarmament idea are gone.
In regard to land disarmament, the
American delegates are merely good
will ambassadors. The American Army
already Is SO small that there can pe
no question of a further reduction. IL
is for the nations with powerful armies
TO WCTk OuU SuCIl AoA - AAAAAASs~
ton of their forces and the American
delegates at Geneva are lending their
disinterested services to those nations
which want them.
AS far as a naval limitation is con-
cerned. the situation at the present
time is as follows: The navies OF the
principal naval powers have been I'M
tied by the Washington and London
naval treaties. The United States has
not built a navy in accordance with
the ratios permitted by the London
naval agreement. Consequently 1t Is
up to Great Britain and Japan either
to cease building until the American
Navy catches up to their present
strength or America will have to build
every ton permitted to her in the Lon
don naval agreement.
But the hopes of coming to an agree
ment at Geneva even along the lines
of "platonic limitation" as described
above, are very slim.
Germany under Hitler wants either .
drastic cut in the armies of France
and her allies, or the right to build
up, at her convenience to the strength
Of her neighbors.
Reich Presses Claims.
The German leaders of today realize
full well that the plan OF coming TO
an agreement at Geneva about bonn
bardment from the air or Scrapping q
few of the heavy French and Polish
guns means only one thing, an ex-
pedient to keep Germany disarmed
while the others sacrifice little of their
surplus in war materials. Consequently,
according to observers at Geneva, 1t
seems most unlikely that the French
and the British will be able to induce
Germany to give up her claims for I'M
mediate equality in arms by mere diplo-
matte niceties. The Germans have
served notice officially and unofnciauy
to the interested powers that unless
some definite and concrete steps to-
wards limitation of armaments are
taken, Germany no longer will be
bound by the clauses Of the Versailles
treaty.
Great Britain and France want to
.avoic this at any price. Hence their
desire to achieve something at Geneva
which, unimportant as 1t may pe,
would put Germany in the wrong In
the eyes of the world public opinion.
There still are some diplomats left who
believe in the coercive power OF pubnc
opinion. But the real reason for this
desire to put in the shape Of an agree
ment some noncommittal resolutions
"
is that the French want to prevent the
Germans at all cost from arming.
Should even an inconsequential agree
ment be reached, the French will be
able to bring Germany to book II she
disregards the treaty.
Attitude Threatening.
According to reliable reports from
Paris the French contemplate nothing
less than an ultimatum to Germany
in case she proceeds to arm without
the consent of the other signatories OF
the Versailles treaty. 1t is considered
unlikely in Paris that all the members
of the League and especially the ltal-
ians, the Bulgarians, the Hungarlans
and possibly the Scandinavian nations
will be willing to join France In an
order to Germany to observe the DIS
armament clauses In such case. the
French are reported intending to send
an ultimatum on their behalf as well
as on behalf of their allies.
And here lies one Of the great dan
gers of the situation.
Germany undoubtedly will ignore any
request of the French. regardless as to
the form in which it Is made. The
German government apparently has de-
cided to reorganize its military forces
whether the SignatorieS of the Versailles
treaty like 1t or not.
What will happen when the Germans
openly defy their former enemies no
body can say at this moment, but the
partially confirmed report that the
Poles are concentrating airplanes. tanks
and cavalry on the German borders of
the much-disputed Corridor zone are
indicative that France and her allies
are planning swift action against Ger
many.
The dangerous situation in Europe
also is. increased by the fact that
Austria, or at least the present Austrian
dictator, is believed intent on joining
Germany. According to reports from
Vienna there is no longer question of
a custom union, as was the case two
years ago, but of physical union of
Germany and Austria. What the reac-