Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-26
GESTURES OF WAR HELD
CLARIFYING ATMOSPHERE
British Statesmen Losing Their Pessi-
mism, Seeing End of Bluffing and
Return to Realities.

and few will contest Hitler's argyll
mentS that the League can only func-
ton on the basis of complete equality
of all member states. 1t Is perhaps
true, as some Of Der Fuehrer's critics
point out. that he said nothing new"
but what he did say was impressive.
and no one can any longer claim, as
Prime Minister j. Ramsay Macdonald
once did, that Hitler has made no
positive contribution to the cause Of
peace.
Respects Territorial Clauses.
To recapitulate once again some OF
the constructive points made by Hit
Ter, one must begin by citing his
promise to respect Internationally"
the article of the Versailles treaty
concerning the mutual relations of the
nations, including the territorial pro-
visions, and to seek their revision only
by peaceable means, as is explicitly
| foreseen in Article XIX of the League
Covenant.
This assurance should allay the
/ fears of those who dream OF the Nazis
making midnight forays over the from
tiers to seize the Corridor, Memel or
German Bohemia. Hitler, indeed,
more than a year ago, eased the ten
sion in Eastern Europe by his 10-year
pact with Poland, which eliminated
Danzig, the Polish Corridor and Sile-
STA as possible danger points.
Furthermore, Hitler solemnly af-
| firmed the intention of his govern
ment "Scrupulously to observe" all
treaties voluntarily concluded by the
German governments prior to his &C
cession to power. He not only re-
affirmed the Locarno pact. but repeated
his remuneration Of all claims to Al
SAGE Lorraine, which were made IN
the Saar speech, and promised the
observance of a demilitarized Rhine
land zone, which, with justice, he
claimed as IAN unheard of difficult
contribution" for sovereign state to
the cause Of peace.
Hitler offered to conclude non-ag-
erosion pacts with the Reich's neigh
Dor states, which should help to quiet
the fears of those who see in his
"Mein Kampf" a threat to the ter
ritorial integrity of the Baltic states.
He promised Germany's readiness to
enter into agreements for limitation of
the size of heavy artillery and tanks,
which should insure Frances secur-
ity, considering that country's formid-
able network of Notifications along
the eastern frontier.
Accepts Naval Inferiority.
He offered to accept the def1nitive
inferiority of the German Navy to
both the British and the French ma
vies, to accept the ratio of IS per cent
of British naval strength as "perma-
nent" for the Reich, and rejected any
notion of resuming the naval compe-
tition with England that estranged
Great Britain from imperial Germany
Significant, too, was Hitler's repudia-
ton of "hurra" patriotism and al
projects for "Germanizing" alien peo-
pies.
This policy, too, differentiates Nazi
Germany from Bismarck's Reich
which burned its fingers trying to Ger
mamie the Polish province. In this
respect the racial philosophy of Ma
tional Socialism is closely akin to
the democratic principle of the self
determination of peoples" enunciated
by Woodrow Wilson.
Hitler's terms for an agreement may
be high, but other powers have at
least the assurance that once made
they will be scrupulously kept. Hit
Ter doesn't need to worry about the
opposition and there should be nc
doubt either concerning his sincerity
or his ability to deliver the goods
Probably British statesmen and per-
haps French, too, in the bottom OF
their hearts regret that they didn't
accept Hitler's peace offer to stabilize
armament on the basis of German
army of 100000 men. Once more
opportunity is knocking at the door
of the statesmen Of Western Europe
and it will be a world tragedy II they
let this call, too, go unheeded.
Copyright. 1881