Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-03-21
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
Continued from Page ~

ly and dramatically. And he dld II.
Last Saturday he announced to
bewildered world that he was rein
Producing compulsory military serv-
ice and was ready to organize stand
ing army of 100000 men, thus reduc-
ing certain parts of the Versailles
treaty to a scrap of paper. He main
tanned that the other powers had al
ready done that, for they had not re-
spected their pledge to begin disarm-
ament-
Also he listed in lengthy state
ment all the steps Germany had taken
to comply with the treaty restrictions;
on the authority of the Interall1ed
Control Commission he said, for in
stance, that Germany had destroyed
59,S97 cannon and heavy gun barrels.
13O.55S machine guns. 6,007 900 guns
and carbines, 2S,001 gun carriages,
38,750,OO0 bullets, 16,550,0O0 hand and
gun grenades, 491, 100000 rounds OF
ammunition for hand weapons. $4,000
telephones, $4,000 steel helmets 49,
TIA chasing and bombing airplanes-
and had in addition destroyed,
scrapped, sunk or handed over to the
world war victors 26 first-class battle
ships, 26 cruisers, SO torpedo boats,
315 submarines, etc.
What, Hitler implied through his
statement have the other pow
ers done to keep their part Of the
promise?
Immediate Effect.
The German statement almost
stunned the European diplomats;
some no doubt expected that 1t would
appear, but had not looked for it at
this time, in view of the fact that
the Franco British agreement con-
corning conditional German rearma-
ment was still under consideration.
Wires began to hum between the
capitals of the great powers; diplo-
mats hurried to their posts from their
weekend sojourns; there was every
where an air of suspense, of intensest
excitement
London reacted first of all the cap
ital cities with semi-official declara-
tions about Germany being classed as
an outcast unless definite promises
of nOn-aggression were Immediately
forthcoming Also, it was limited that
Sir John SimOn's contemplated trip
to Berlin might not now take place.
British statesmen got in touch with
the French and the Italian govern
ments, and there were possibilities OF
joint action against Germany, mostly
i'm the form of a note Of protest, 1t
seemed.
In Paris it was intimated that
France would solicit the support OF
Russia and the Little Entente (Rou-
mania, Czecho-Slovakia and JugO-
Slavia) of stern message of protest
and that Belgium, likewise, might
take action in conjunction with the
others.
Other RepercussiOns.
Rome seemed not seriously dis
turbed, looking at the matter from
the viewpoint that Germany's action
might have a tendency to facilitate
the conclusion of the various mutual
security treaties now pending. but
some fear was expressed that the
feasible to announce an increase OF
its naval forces, Also
From Vienna came word to the ef-
feet that AustrianS generally were en-
couraged by Hitler's action which, it
was felt, would pave the way for Au-
strian rearmament, also forbidden by
the Versailles treaty.
Comments in Moscow, official and
unofficial. expressed fear that Ger
many is definitely preparing for war;
the tone of the newspaper editorials,
which in Russia are inspired by the
government. was bluntly hostile to
Germany.
From Geneva, home of the League
of Nations and of the international
disarmament conference. wi fu
words of disillusionment emanated; it
was realized now-as 1t ought to have
been some time ago-that there Is no
prospect of reducing and limiting
ornaments anywhere.
Washington, being far away from
the scene Of sudden agitation, re-
manned calm and expectant; there
was tendency to believe that Hit
lers surprising action would result in
speedy decisions concerning the group
of treaties now being discussed in
Europe.
Logic and Justification.
Hitler has, of course, acted per-
fectly logically; he sticks to the Yer
sailles treaty and can quote the con-
troll commission of the victorious
powers to the effect that his country
has complied with all the treaty's mil
itary stipulationS. He can also in
all fairness point to the incontrovert-
ible fact that the allied nations have
not kept their promise to begin dis
arming, although sixteen years have
elapsed since they signed their
pledge.
Furthermore. Hitler can feel his
position justified on the ground tina,
all other great powers during the last
year or so have increased their forces
at such rate that he must consider
their intentions a real menace. and
adroitly he quoted Stanley Baldwin
- h. Dr;S ;sh a,,k