The Evening Star TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1926. GERMAN DISARMAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 19431, 14 December 1926, Page 6

The Evening Star TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1926. GERMAN DISARMAMENT.

“ A victory for the spirit of peace, of Locarno, and for the League of Nations ” is how the Belgian Foreign Minister describes the agreement that has been reached for the transfer of the military supervision of Germany from the Inter-allied Control Commission to a Commission of the League. But the Germans also claim it as a victory for their Government, and since most of their demands were agreed to they have reason for their contention. The two claims, however, are not necessarily conflicting, because Germany is now a member of the League of Nations, German statesmen took the initiative in regard to the Locarno Pacts, and since Dr Stresemaun has received the Nobel prize for his activities in that direction Germany can claim also now to be among the peace-makers, though it is a claim at which her Nationalists will gnash their teeth. In a sense there was no escape from the agreement. It was always understood tliat, when Germany became a member of the League, the work of the Inter-allied Commission would have to cease. It was impracticable, outside certain limits, to accept a nation as a friend and follow and subject it to a hostile foreign control. The very fact of Germany’s admission to the League should have meant that she had disarmed herself completely but for the army of 100,000 which was allowed her by the Versailles Treaty, and that all need of control was ended. The Allies took one chance. They admitted her into the League before her disarmament was so complete. But they did not take the far greater risk which would have been involved in the relinquishing of all supervision of her armaments. A Germany loyal to the League to-day might be a disloyal Germany to-morrow. And, as General Nollot has stated, “ even the exact execution at a given moment of the military clauses of the Treaty of Peace did not mean the establishment of a lasting peace, giving to all nations, and more particularly Franco, necessary security.” A nation as strong as Germany can rearm in a very short time if it has the mind. So the requirement of a supervision of armaments was continued, but it was agreed tacitly, if not formally, that the supervision would he performed by a Commission of the League. Germany would thus have part in it, and her prido would be considered.

That is the agreement which has now been ratified by the leaders of the Powers concerned, acting with the approval of their Governments. At first sight the ratification might seem a small thing in the light of understandings which had preceded it, more especially as on- some main points there has been compromise. Germany has not yet entii'oly fulfilled her pledges of disarmament given at Versailles. She has merely substantially fulfilled them. Points in dispute, like the export of half-finished products liable to coma back to ber as war material, have been left over to be dealt with .by the League’s Commission. But the new fortifications at Konigsberg, which might be either a defence against Russia or a threat to the Polish corridor, are to be suspended. The League’s Commission will be the inspecting body after January 31. And if the Gormans treat it as they did the Commission which was an instrument of the victors of the Great War, no one will envy its

members their duties. “They knew as well as he did,” General Nollet, who had charge for some years of the vexatious work, declared recently, “ in what spirit and upon what linos disarmament had proceeded, and that Germany had put difficulties of every kind in the way of the execution of disarmament.” The old Commission made its reports fortnightly, and their burden was monotonously ono of requirements not fulfilled. It is to bo hoped that the new Commission will be as vigilant. France probably would have small faith in it but for one security which she remembers. Her friends form a majority of the League’s Council. The agreement may deserve M. Vandervolde’s encomiums. After all, it is one thing to be agreed in advance that a control shall be superseded, and another thing to decide how that shall be done. “After eighteen months’ discussion,” we axe told, “ more than 100 difficult matters which divided Germany and the Allies in connection with tlio Versailles Treaty have been settled.” That has all the appearance of a great achievement. Mr Sisley Huddlestone, one of the best informed of British correspondents in Paris, has emphasised the complete change which, during the last twelve months, has taken place, with the approval of that earlier “ Diehard,” M. Poincare, in the atititude of France to Germany. “ Incidents ” in the neighboring country no longer cause the excitement and suspicion of a year ago. The whole mood is for rapprochement. The weakness of the position is that Germany’s eastern frontier, not protected by the Locarno Pacts, may be yet a hotbed of troubles, and that the German Government, which has rapprochement equally for its object, holds ne more than the most precarious, rule. It is a coalition Government and a minority Government. The Nationalists still are strong. Ono can only endorse the hope of the Belgian Minister “that those [in sufficient number] across the frontier are working like us for peace and moral disarmament, which must precede general material disarmament.”