Evening star., 1934-05-28
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Maryland Viroinio
Am Other States and Canada.
Member Of the Associated Press.
The Geneva Conference.

After an lntermlSslon OF practically
year the Geneva Conference re-
sumes this week its ill-starred efforts
to persuade the reluctant nations to
place their faith in disarmament as
the surest guarantee of peace. Prob
ably with the exception of that stolid
Briton and invincible optimist. Uncle
Arthur" Henderson. chairman of the
conference, few of the world states
men now converging on Geneva view
the prospects for disarmament with
any genuine hope.
1t is the disconcerting fact that
in whichever direction they turn their
gaze, suspicion, fear and hatreds
characterize the international situa-
tion. Some European observers COM
pare the prevalent atmosphere across
the Atlantic with the conditions i'm
mediately preceding the outbreak OF
the World War twenty years ago this
Summer. In the Far East the ten
sion between Japan and the Soviet
Union continues unrelaxed, while the
Japanese proclamation Of supremacy
in Asia generally and in China in
particular has filled the Occident as
we'll as the Orient with anxiety as to
what portends on the other side OF
the globe.
It is primarily the embittered and
irreconcilable state OF affairs in
Europe that darkens the Geneva out
look with despair. Germany's de-
termination to rearm and Frances
consequent refusal to disarm create
a deadlock from which craftsmanship
discerns no escape Not only do the
French, under the circumstances,
decline to reduce their armed estab-
lishment, but at the moment they are
feverishly engaged in an effort to
form a chain of so-called mutual
assistance pacts, diplomatic eu-
phemism for military alliances, for
the almost openly avowed purpose OF
checkmating Nazi Germany's ambi-
tions to expand beyond the Reich's
present borders. Not only continental
France and her friends envisage the
German menace. but even insular
Great Britain is thinking of the day
when she might be threatened by the
powerful air force which the Ger
mans are supposed to be creating, re-
gardless of the prohibitions of the
treay of Versailles. The Soviet Union
is actually concerned in the French
plans for mutual assistance" pacts,
and one OF the few positive results
expected at Geneva is the conclusion
of arrangements whereby the Soviet
would be brought within the orbit of
the new groupings designed to hold
Germany in leash.
The United States will be heard
from at the hands of Norman H
Davis, our disarmament Ambassa-
dor at large, who is expected to sub
NIT a statement based on his recent
conference with President Roosevelt,
Mr.. Davis on arrival at Geneva last
week said he has no sensations to
spring. The expectation is that his
principal assignment is to affirm the
United States desire to participate
in more rigorous control of the inter-
national traffic in arms. Certain it
is that this country's interest, earn
estly as the American people wish to
do their part in arresting a world
race in armaments, cannot be engaged
in any compacts that would entangle
the disarmament issue with the ap-
parently insoluble political bicker-
ings that keep Europe house hope
lesSly divided against itself.