Evening star., 1934-04-08
BY ALBIN E. JOHNSON

bcdSuc VI NdIlOIlS dIlo perhaps lllc
maintenance Of world peace at stake,
the bureau Of the almost defunct dis
armament parley will meet in Geneva
Tuesday for an eleventh-hour effort
to salvage the cause Of disarmament.
Upon the shoulders Of a dozen or
SO statesmen will fall the task of
either % bringing to an end the two
years of futile deliberations and
winding up the conference as pain
lessly as possible. CD providing for a
continuance of the apparently hope
less and endless diplomatic negoti-
ations on the off-chance of breaking
the Franco-German deadlock, or 81
going back to the beginning for a
fresh start by restating. in terms
more susceptible of attainment. the
ultimate objectives Of the conference.
Without eXaggeration, it can be
safely said that the responsibilities
facing the bureau are greater than
those which have confronted any
similar group Of statesmen and diplo-
mats since the World War ended.
If they are honest and face facts
squarely-are more courageous than
SdOllO0o- -IliCy may dOIlllG IIldG Qlo-
armament. at this time, is a political
impossibility, and recommend that
the conference be adjourned, regard
less Of what the international roper
cussions may be. The cost of such a
decision, which. Of course, would
have to be ratified by the General
Commission of the conference in a
plenary session, might easily be Ca
tastrophic. 1t would almost certainly
mean the demise Of the League of
Nations, or at best, the devolution of
the Geneva organization into some
thing comparable to the Interparlia-
Court. AS an influence in interna-
tional relations its role would hence
forth be negligible.
May Avoid Showdown.
If the bureau is timid-and per-
haps wise-it may seek by every
means at its command to avoid a
showdown. 1t may appeal to the
powers to resume their efforts, with
new determination, to bridge the gap
that exists between Frances insistence
.
for equality. Literally, closing that
gap seems impossible, and everybody
knows it. Equality in armaments for
Germany actually means insecurity
for France-or rather inferiority, be-
cause if Germany were armed, gun
for gun, man for man and airplane
for airplane with France, the unas-
sessible element which makes for
military superiority, would rest on
/, Germany's side. This the French
realize, but they will not admit open
ly that one fighting German is su-
perior to one fighting Frenchman.
But in this realization lies the expla-
nation of Frances insistence on
ornaments superiority over her neigh
Dor at all coStS-even if it means a
financially suicidal armaments race
eventually.
The other course open to the bu-
reau. namely, to go back to the be-
ginning and make a fresh start, on
the surface appears difficult. The
dangers Of admitting failure, how
ever, are SO great that no govern
ment may dare to assume response
bility for a breakdown. But should
this course be adopted a procedure
similar to that followed by the Lon
don Economic Conference may emerge.
A small commission would be ap-
pointed to wind up the pourparlers of
the past Two years, and pending its
report the big powers would explore
the possibilities of resuming negoti-
ations at some future date along diff
ferent lines.
Britain May Give Solution.
Where these explorations might lead
is difficult to foresee. The French
undoubtedly will stick to their de-
mand for security to the bitter end
Thus far their only clear definition
of what security involves has been
German armament inferiority. How
ever, there are indications that an
unqualified promise on the part OF
Great Britain-and perhaps also
other signatorieS of the disarmament
treaty-to come to her assistance IN
the event of an unprovoked war might
be acceptable. For Washington 70
make such a commitment obviously
is impossible, but European countries
might easily do so. The British are
also considering an offer of economic
sanctions against peace-breaklng
state, which intrigues France.
AS for Germany abandoning, or
softening down her claim to equality
that is possible, but highly improbable,
particularly since London and Rome,
among others, have recognized tnat
right. Hitler, however, has given
one demonstration of his strength by
telling the German nation to forget
the hated Polish corridor for a dec
ade. He may conceivably be per-
suaded to ask them to forget about
rearmament for the time being. But,
as in the case Of the corridor. he
would have to nave his quid pro quo
the character of which is still 10 pe
revealed
Big Countries Meet.
Participating in Tuesdays bureau
meeting will be representatives or at
least a dozen of the sixty-odd coun-
tries which have taken part III the
disarmament conference since it con-
vened in February, 1882. The bu-
reau Is composed of the following
states: Great Britain, France, Italy,
Spain, Germany, the United otates,
Russia, Poland, Japan and a Scandi-
navian, Balkan and Latin Ameri-
can state.
Sir John Simon is expected to rep
resent England; Foreign Minister
Barthou, France; Baron Pompeii
Aloisi, Italy; Foreign Minister Beck,
Poland; Minister of Public Instruction
Salvador de Madariaga, Spain; For
eign Commissar Litvinof or Ambas-
sador Dogvalevsky, Russia: Ambas-
sador N. Sato, Japan, and Norman
Davis and Minister Hugh Wilson, the
United States. AS president of the
Disarmament Conference, Arthur
Henderson will preside. His aides will
be Nicolas Politis, Greek vice presi-
dent, and Edouard Benes, foreign
minister of Czechoslovakia, who is
rapporteur. Secretary General Joseph
Avenol and the director Of the Dis
armament Section, tn. Aghnides, will
represent the League.
To get proper perspective Of the
critical situation which exists, one
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