The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-05-19

tIIE NTCl man Icl1r|
no minded person can fail to
recognize that the bitter turbulence
of the Nazi propaganda was singu-
larly lacking, and that Herr Hitler
remained strictly within the limits
Of honest indignation at the injus-
tees and humiliation to which Ger
many had been subjected.
THE specific assurances are to
L be found in his discussion of
the problem Of the frontiers. Thus,
after saying Versailles had failed
to find a solution of the Eastern
boundaries which met Poland's
understandable claims just the
same as Germany's natural right"
the chancellor stated that never
theleSs no German government will
of its own Volition break an agree
ment that can not be abrogated
except by substituting a better one.
However this Acknowledgement
of the legal character of such a
treaty can be only a general one.
Not only the victor has claims to
the rights granted therein, but also
the vanquished.
The right to demand revision of
this treaty, however, is founded on
the treaty itself AS the motif and
measure of its demand, Germany
desires nothing but the experiences
thus far attained, and the undeni-
able findings of logical, critical rea-
son"
Unless l am greatly mistaken, this
IS the most definite pledge yet given
By any German government that it
would pursue its claim for revision
within the framework of the Cove
nant of the League of Nations.
For it is in the Covenant, most
particularly in Article XIX, that
the right of the "vanquished" to
appeal to the findings of logical,
critical reason" is stipulated.
This pledge as to the territorial
ambitions of Germany was supple
mented by a, specific offer which
is certainly of the utmost impor-
lance.
This was in the chancellor's en-
phaSis on that part of the Mac
Donald plan, which is also a fun
damental requirement of the French
plans, that ornaments should be
subjected to international super
vision.
XTHAT is important here is that
w he offered, provided other
nations took a similar position, to
submit not only the German army
to the semi-military and semi-offi-
clal international supervision, but
all organizations, such as the Nazi
storm troops and the Steel Helmets.
That such supervision of all kinds
of actual and potential military
force is fundamental to any kind of
disarmament by treaty has long
been evident to those who have
worked on the problems.
The Chancellor's willingness to
submit the whole German military
power to international inspection is,
therefore, as definite an evidence of
good faith as it was in his power to
offer the world.
For the address itself, both as to
its substance and its manner. there
must be very high degree of gen.
eral approval. The difficulty. which
will cause the world to be reserved
in its Judgment, will come from try
ing to reconcile it with the Nazi
propaganda, with Herr Hitlers own
speeches in the past. with the re-
cent speeches of some of his own
ministers. 1t will be hard to recon-
Gle it with the ruthless injustice of
the treatment meted out to the
German Jews, with the violence OF
the attack, as Symbolized by the
burning of the books, upon the
spirit of peace and international
comfy.
How does one reconcile this gent
lnely StateSmanlike address with of
fetal words and official actions that
have caused CONSERVATION through
out the civilized world?
THERE will be some who will
Il say that the address is merely
a shrewd maneuver and that it
must be rejected as insincere. I do
not take this view. The truer ex-
PLANTATION, I believe. is that we have
heard once more, through the fog
and the din, the hysteria and the
animal passions of a great revolu-
ton. the authentic voice of a gen.
timely civilized people
am not only willing to believe
that. but it seems to me that all
historical experience compels one
to believe it.
Those who have that wisdom will
pass judgment upon the actions of
men, but never upon their whole
natures. Who that has studied his
tory and cares for the truth would
judge the French people by what
went on during the Terror? Or the
British people by what happened
in Ireland? Or the American peo-
pie by the hideous records of lynch
lngs? Or the Catholic church by
the Spanish inquiSition? Or Protes-
tantlSm by the Ku-Klux Khan?
GO the outer world will do we'll to
~ accept the evidence Of German
good will and seek by all possible
means to meet it and to justify it.
Herr Hitler has said that the
generation of this young Germany,
which in its life hitherto came to
know only the distress, misery and
woe OF its own people, has suffered
too tremendously under the mad
ness OF our time to intend to infiict
the same upon others"
1t is the intention of the young
Germany which Adolph Hitler leads
that has troubled mankind, as the
German chancellor must know from
the reports of every honest German
diplomat and emisSary in the outer
world. He will find that the further
he can go TO prove that it is not the
intention of young Germany to in
fiict upon others the misery and
humiliation 1t has suffered. the
greater will be Germanys dignity