DISARMAMENT REJECTED

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 April 1934, Page 7

DISARMAMENT REJECTED

IMPORTANT NOTES PUBLISHED

FRANCO-GERMAN RIVALRIES

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIBELESS.]

RUGBY, April 18. Further memoranda on disarmament is contained in a White Paper published to-night. It includes notes between the Governments of Frahce,

Germany, and Britain, the statement of the views of the Italian Government, and the text of the memorandum received last week from the Danish, Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish and Swiss delegations to the Disarmament Conference. The last mentioned memorandum states that in view of the gravity of the situation, it is the duty of the signatories to take into serious consideration, any reasonable proposal for increasing the guarantees within the limits of the acknowledged obligations of the Covenant, and taking into account:the special situation occupied by any State in the League of Nations: “In this connection Germany’s return to the League would undoubtedly represent an important contribution to the solution of the grave problem of collective secur-

On this subject, the German Government in a statement of its views communicated to the British Government on April 16, declare they consider Germany’s return to the League can only be dealt with after a solution of the question of disarmament, and above all of their equality of rights. Subject to this and other important modifications, the German

Government expresses a readiness to accept the British memorandum as the basis of a convention. They state they find it impossible to wait two years for appropriate, means of aerial defence. They wish to possess a defensive air force of short range machines not including bombing planes, from the beginning of the Convention, the numerical strength of which would not exceed 30 per cent of the combined air forces of Germany’s neighbours, or 50 per cent of the military aircraft possessed by France, which-

ever was less. This claim the German Government make without prejudice to the result of the air enquiry which should at least abolish bombers. Germany claims that after the first five years, necessary reductions and increases should be made so that she should attain full equality, of numbers with the principal air Powers at the end of 10 years of the Convention. The other proposals made in the United Kingdom memorandum, such for example, as supervision, are accepted by the German Government.

THE FRENCH NOTE.

The French Foreign Secretary, in

his note on the subject of guarantees of execution of the Convention, points out that the British communication was received simultaneously with the publication of the German 1934-35 budget, which showed increases in expenses for the Army, Navy, and Air' Force amounting to 352 million marks. 1 hi reality, the German Government, without awaiting the results of the negotiations which were in progress, wished to impose its determination to continue every form of re-armament within the limits of which it claims to be the sole judge in contempt of the absence of any other Convention continue to govern its armaments. The facts of such exceptional gravity can lead to only one observation, and conclusion. They prove the German Government, whether of set purpose or not, have made impossible negotiations the basis of which it has by its ow r n act destroyed, even before seeking to discover whether an agreement could be obtained upon a system of guarantees sufficiently efficacious to permit the signature of the Conven- ! tion which would result in the sub- ' stantial re-armament of Germany. France must place in the forefront of her pre-occupations, the conditions of her own security which she does not separate from that of other interested Powers. The return of Germany to the League might have furnished an opportunity and means of dissipating at least in part, these pre-occupations. The presence of Germany at the Geneva Assembly would be no less indispensable for the realisation of a satisfactory system of guarantees of execution. On this point of capital importance however, Mr Eden was not able to bring from Berlin any favourable solution and the silence observed in the course of the most recent communications does not permit of better hopes. The experience of the last war horrors of -which France had to endure more than any other country imposes on her the duty of showing prudence. She appreciates the friendly action of the British Government in wishing to seek with her effective guarantees for execution of the Convention. She regrets the action of a third party should abruptly have rendered vain such negotiations

LONDON PRESS COMMENTS.

LONDON, April 19.

The French note to Britain regarding the disarmament question constitutes the leading news in all of the papers. The editorials unanimously regard the disarmament negotiations in their latest form as being now dead. The “Morning Post” says: If Germany finds herself encircled in consequence of her bellicose demeanour, this encirclement will be of her own seeking. In the meantime, let Britain see that her defences are effective for the prevention of war. “The Times” says: It certainly is regrettable that Germany is now organising aerodromes in the demilitarised zones; but it is more important to look forward than back. The essential question is whether her military preparations are going beyond the legitimate requirements of national defence. The best way to keep a check on Germany’s rearmament must, surely, be a system of investigation, which can only follow the conclusion of a convention.

The “Daily Telegraph” says: It would be as foolish as it would be impossible to try to conceal the fact that the French note, beneath its courteous wording, rejects all of the schemes for the limitation of armaments that were proposed by the British and Italian Governments. France shows her traditional realism! No move on the part of the German Government could have been less fortunately timed than its recent announcement of the increase in its arms estimates. The Powers are now.

left free to make their own. arrangements.

GERMAN DISAPPOINTMENT

(Recd. April 20, 2 p.m.). BERLIN, April 19.

A semi-official statement describes the French note as a great disappointI ment to supporters of international understanding. The statement adds: France’s real reason for banging the floor is that an almost complete Ital-ian-British-German agreement compelled an early decision. In view of her inability to avoid the consequences of her former consent to German equality, she wants to continue negotiations at Geneva for years, while disarmed states look on while she increases armaments. Her demand to resume Geneva negotiations means “back to Versailles”, and repudiation of German equality. Her action has reduced European policy to a heap of ruins, whereas England has done all possible to rescue the idea of disarmament for the convention.

ITALIAN CLAIM

ROME, April 19. The Italian view is that the French note more than ever points to Mussolini’s January memorandum as the way out of the impasse. The Duce is open to receive suggestions for modification of the plan if the fundamentals are retained. The French reply Is the natural outcome of Britain’s refusal to guarantee armed support in the event of Germany attacking France.

EFFECT ON TREATY.

RUGBY, April 19. Asked whether, now he has received a reply from the German Government in regard to incrased expenditure armaments, he could make a statement as to its bearing on the Treaty of Versailles, and if he intended to take any action, Mr. Eden replied on behalf of Sir J. Simon, that he was unable, at present, to make any further statement.

STORM TROOPER’S CLAIM.

BERLIN, April 18.

“The Nazi revolution is comparable only to the introduction of Christianity, of the invention of printing, or of gunpower, or the discovery of America,” said Captain Roehm, Chief of Staff for the Storm Troopers, in an impassioned appeal to foreign jour-

nalists to make the world realise Germany’s aims, which he said, were for peace. “But let nobody imagine," he added, “that they can obstruct Germany’s future. Our whole people are ready to defend it to the last man. Monarchist reactionaries will not be tolerated. I believe that the German Crown lies on the battlefield, and 1 doubt whether the Germans would fight for it there,”

AERIAL MANOEUVRES.

BERLIN, April 18.

At 9.15 last night, Cologne City underwent a mimic aerial attack. Curtains were drawn and all lights on trams, cars, and streets were ex-

tinguished, while traffic stopped. The city w|as in complete darkness by 2.15 in the morning. Co-operation in this preparation for defence against air attacks was enjoined upon all as a. service to the Fatherland and a national duty.

BARON AS SPY

LONDON, April 19. The “Daily Express’s” Berlin correspondent reports a sensational spy case, which has resulted in the arrest of a Polish baron named Sosnowski, accused of betraying military and industrial secrets of Nazi Germany to France.

Baron Sosnowski is well-known as a horse-owner, gambler and bon viveur, giving large parties, and including amongst his guests leaders in the German army and the German industry. One of his parties was recently raided, and thirty of the guests, including women, were arrested. Those arrested will remain in prison. They are threatened with serious penalties if anything is revealed pending the police inquiries into the mannei* in which German inventions were disclosed to France.