Evening star., 1938-09-27

mands equality under all circum-
stances, yet It is willing generally to
renounce armaments and weapons,
If necessary to the last machine
gun, and disarm completely II
other nations do the same.
This was not even taken as an
occasion for discussion.
Then came the second proposal:
Germany is willing to limit her
army, like other states, to 200, 900
men with the same arms as the
others.
This, too, was rejected.
If they do not want an unarmed
world, then, German people. bear
arms that are stronger than others.
Billions on Arms.
I have armed up these five years.
I have spend billions on arms. The
German people know it.
have said: Let new army be
raised with the most modern arms
possible. I have asked my friend
(Marshal Herman Wilhelm) Goer-
ing to provide me with an air force
that will protect the German people
against all attack.
So we have built up q defense
force that the German people today
may be proud Of. and which the
world will respect whenever it
makes its appearance.
We have created the best anti
aircraft equipment and the best
anti-tank equipment that there is
in the whole world.
Work has gone on day and night
thereon these five years.
On one single point I have sue
seeded in coming to an understand
ing. to which I shall refer later.
(This was taken to be in reference
to the Anglo-German naval agree
ment Of 1886 by which Germany
agreed to limit its navy to IS per
cent Of Great Britain's)
Practical Peace Policy.
Nevertheless, have carried on
politically my erstwhile thoughts Of
arInaments limitation or a disarm-
ament policy.
In those years, I have really
conducted practical peace policy.
have attacked all seemingly
impossible problems with a firm will
to solve them peaceably II at all
feasible even at the risk Of more
or less important German sacrifices.
I am front soldier myself and
! know how terrible war is.
wanted to spare the German
nation this experience and there
fore I took up problem after prob
lem with a firm resolve to attempt
everything tos make an amicable
solution possible.
The hardest problem I found, my
fellow citizens, was Polish German
relations. We faced the danger here
Of steering ourselves into, let US
say, fanatical hysteria. The danger
existed that in this case q concep.
ton like inherited enmity would
gain possession: Of our peoples as
ven as the Polish people.
This I wanted to forestau. I
know perfectly well that I would
not have succeeded alone II at that
time there had been q democracy
Of western construction in Poland.
For those democracies running
over with peace phrases are the
most bloodthirsty war instigators.
Succeeded in Year.
There was no democracy In Po-
land but there was q man. With
him we succeeded in less than q
year in arriving at an agreement
which presently, for the duration
Of 10 years, basically removes the
danger Of any clash.
We all are determined, and also
convinced. that this agreement will
bring about lasting and continuous
pacification, because problems in
eight years are no different from
those today.
We do not have to expect any
thing from each other. We rec
ognize this. We are two peoples.
They shall live. One cannot an
initiate the other. I recognize this
and we must see 1t: A state Of 3d.
100000 people will always strive
for an outlet to the sea.
Here the road to understanding
had to be found, and it was found.
And 1t Is being widened and ex-
panded.
OF course. down there realities
are often grim. Nationalities and
little racial groups often tight with
each other.
But the decisive thing Is: Tho
two administrations and all sensible
and reasonable people In both .ooun-
tries have . firm viii and. . flrm
resolve continually to improve re-
lations.
That was . great deed Of mine,
and . real act Of peace which
weighs more than all the jabbering
in the Geneva League Of Nations
Palace.
Guarantees Given.
Now I have tried during this
time also gradually to bring about
good and enduring relations with
other nations.
We have given guarantees for
the states in the West. We
have guaranteed to all contiguous.
neighbors the inviolability Of their
territory 30 far a. Germany IL con-
cerned.
That Is not q phrase-that Is
our sacred will.s
We are not interested IN breaking
peace. We do not want anything
1usn slasso peoples. Il = . -5act