The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-05-23
| Cover the World
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sISIMs-

UTASHINGTON. May pa new and de-
w cisive European conference. "a second YER
saiIles," with Germany sitting in an equal with
the former Allies, may be the next major move
in the old worlds tragic game of peace or war.
Chancellor Adolf Hitler's carefully staged pro-
nouncement before the reichstag this week is
calculated 70 put it up to the other powers
whether or not Germany will participate in the
vital collective system of European peace now
being devised.
Germany he declared in one of the most
fiery passages Of his Grafton viii never again
participate in conference whose program We
did not help draw up" nor would she sign any
treaty previously arranged by other powers and
offered for her signature afterwards.
Thus Hitler is seen as having made one of the
shrewdest moves of his career. Nazi Germany
stands ready at any time, he said in effect, to
join the other major powers in consolidating the
peace of Europe. But she must be consulted be-
forehand, not afterward. She must sit in as
an equal, not be informed afterward of what
took place and asked to sign on the dotted line.
This is regarded here as Hitlers carefully
weighed answer to StreSa, Rome, London Mos
COW and other conferences at which the ques-
ton of Germany and European peace was upper
most. And it looks very much like a thinly
yelled bid for an invitation to new conference
which would undertake to rewrite the Treaty of
Versailles.
GREAT BRITAIN, France, Russia and Italy
" the big four behind the collective peace
plan-win now have their say. Germany has
offered to join in the scheme if she can enter as
an equal No informed diplomat here believes
the others will even want to proceed much
farther without consulting her.
In fact, it is said, they must confer with Ger
many If only to call her bluff she is bluffing.
She claims to be willing to abolish all offensive"
weapons if the others will do the same; to
abolish submarines and the bombing, casing
and setting fire of cities by aerial warfare out
SIDE the actual zone of war-Something very close
to Great Britains heart.
France is seen as gaining if Germany is &C.
tually brought into an effective agreement BAN
ming aerial and offensive" weapons. Without
these Germany could not invade her.
lust what Gernany's price would be, however,
remains obscure to observers here. 1t would
take conference at which Germany as well as
Britain, France Russia and Italy would be pres
ent, fully to determine her stated price is full
equality with her neighborS-on land, sea and
in the air. in the right to possess colonies and
in every other respect-but such equality again
is seen to require elucidation.
The chancellor's speech is held to be another
bid to WIN the British away from France, Italy
and Russia. Britain's two worst Nightmares are
starvation by a ring of submarines and having
London and her other great centers turned into
shambeS by enemy bombers
Both of these Germany offers to ban or re-
strict Apparently no demand was made for the
return of her cOlonieS-the lions share of which
fell to the British Empire-while as for her
navy, she said she would be satisfied with 35 per
cent of Britans.
Britain, therefore may take the lead in
bringing Germany to another great conference
table.