FRANCO-GERMAN DISAGREEMENT

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 184, 2 May 1933, Page 9

FRANCO-GERMAN DISAGREEMENT

Situation of Utmost Gravity Precipitated DISARMAMENT PLANS IMPERILLED (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received Slay L 8.30 p.m.) London, May 1. A situation of the utmost gravity has arisen as a result of the clash of French and German interests at the Disarmament Conference, says the Geneva correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” Unless something can be done quickly, the hope for a convention on the basis of the British plan must be abandoned. A meeting between the chief British delegate, Captain Anthony Eden, the German delegate, Herr Nadolny, and the chairman, Mr. Arthur Henderson, during the week-end did not persuade the Germans to give way on any major point.

BELLIGERENT OATH

Steel* Helmet Initiation DEDICATION TO SWORD (Received May 1, 9.30 p.m.) Berlin, April 30. The Nazis expect n million adherents to attend the May Day parade. They hope the expenses will be paid by the sale of a badge which will yield a net profit of 25 pfennings apiece. A rite of “dedication to the sword,” whereby all members of the Steel Helmets will be initiated when they reach 17 years of age, will be inaugurated. It is hoped this will develop into universal national usage. The rite will begin with a religious service. Steel Helmets will then form a square, with initiates in the centre, while Arndt’s song “The Cry for vengeance against France.” will be sung. Then the initiates will swear: “By the iron of the sword to show ourselves worthy in the service of the German Fatherland. O Lord God, pour iron into our blood that in battle we may acquire true German manly courage to live and die.” The Initiates will finally be decorated with the “Siegfried Sword” and be crowned and garlanded with birch leaves. BRITISH PROPOSALS Speeding-up Disarmament WHAT GERMANY ASKS In the General Commission of the Disarmament Conference at Geneva on Friday last German amendments to the British draft convention were presented declaring that the attainment of equality should receive practical application in the convention. Germany being allowed all weapons considered necessary to the defence of other nations, and calling for a more, drastic abolition of aggressive weapons than the British plan provided. Mr. Norman Davis. United States delegate, urged that the British plan be adopted as a whole. The United States, he said, regarded the British plan as a valuable and definite contribution to the work of disarmament and providing a scheme to be followed in progressive steps

until arms were brought down to the level they all desired. Although the plan contained provisions unsuitable for the United States, said Mr. Davis, its merits outweighed its defects. Efforts should be directed to the adoption of the plan as a whole without making modifications jeopardising its balance. The United States, delegation would, therefore, resist anything unduly weakening the plan or jeopardising the success of the conference. Herr Nadolny, having submitted the German amendments, M. Massigli. representing France, declared that if they represented Germany’s last word, there was no hope of any Disarmament Convention. The Commission accepted the American suggestion to proceed to disarmament, postponing further the discussion of the security question until Washington’s position toward the Consultative Pact is defined. ' The British Proposals The British Government early in February took definite action designed to help the nations to a speedier agreement on disarmament. Its proposal was a convention giving effect to the following principles:— (1) The European States should agree not to resolve difficulties by force. (2) The Continental European States should seek to work out regional security agreements. (This applies to Continental States nnd not to Britain.) (3) A new convention should be drafted to take the place of the disarmament clauses of I’art V of the Treaty of Versailles. The period of the agreement and the conditions of revision should be the same for all States. (4) There should be qualitative equality of war material to be achieved by specified stages. The Continental States should consider measures to reduce their armies to a uniform short-service type. These were the general principles of the British suggestion. It was then suggested that there should be an immediate calculation of “Hoover effectives" —in other words, a calculation of each country’s forces in terms of a police and a defence component—in order to see what reduction in the defence components can be made. For the different branches of the armed forces the following suggestions were made: — Land War Material.—Limitation of the number nnd size of tanks nnd guns. Air Forces. — (a) The immediate constitution of a committee to examine the possibility of tlie abolition of military and naval aircraft. H>) The abolition of bombing from the air. (c) International control of civil aviation. (The examination of these questions should not interfere with the consideration of the limitations already proposed.) Naval Forces. —Consideration of the questions of tonnage nnd calibre of guns and the abolition of some classes of vessels now going on to be continued.