The Gisborne Times TUESDAY, OCTOBER. 17, 1933. HITLER’S LATEST SPECTACULAR- AIOVE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 12077, 17 October 1933, Page 4

The Gisborne Times TUESDAY, OCTOBER. 17, 1933. HITLER’S LATEST SPECTACULAR- AIOVE.

The tug-of-war” in Europe is becoming intensified, but it is no’- likely to go beyond the stage of hard words. It all arises on account of the fact that the former Allies cannot see eye to eye with Germany on the armament question- Germany, in short, claims the -right to arm as heavily as any other major Power. She says, in effect, that she docs not care if she has no armaments at all, provided other nations totally disarm. In view of the fact that, under the Versailles treaty, Germany is less strongly armed than the other major Powers she can, of course, afford to adopt such an attitude. Nobody knows better than Germany that total disarmament is out of the question at the present juncture. She knows perfectly well that Europe and the United States to-day have thqjr eves set towards the East, where Japan is busily engaged building up overseas possessions. As, therefore, neither the Western nations nor the United States can afford to disarm, Germany’s offer to join in a scheme of complete disarmament is merely “eye-wash.’ The plain facts are tlmt she realises that the Western nations and the United State's may Shortly require to Odd very appreciably to their armaments and she had hoped that they would agree to the principle of equality of arma-

mexits, which would have enabled her to have forces and arms as great" a s those of any other major nation. What is at the bach, of GerinOriy's policy is not a desire (Hat there should he m world' without armaments. Her chief aim is to have the Versailles Treaty wiped out. If Hie former Allies had been willing that Germany should re-hrni on an equality basis, that, of course, would have been the end of the Versailles treaty. It does not, of course, follow that Germany will gain anythino- by her spectacular withdrawal from the Disarmament Conference andrthe League of Nations. The decision to dissolve the Reichstag and hold fresh elections is intended to provide proof that Germany is behind the Government’s policy. As matters at present stand, however, the return of Herr Hitler to power, with the aid of the Nazi organisation, will not impress the world as to the justice of Germany’s arms equality claim. Despite anything that lie may say to tho contrary, the other nations regard the Nazis as bellicose mischief-makers, with grandiose ideas that, some day, Germany will again become the dominant military nation of Europe. The fact that Germany lias withdrawn from the Disarmament Conference will not permit her to Arm beyond the extent stipulated in the Versailles Treaty. It win, on the other hand, have the effect o? •preventing decisions favouring a<? large a measure of general disarmament as is to he desired. There will, therefore, he widespread agreement on the point that Germany has done a distinct disservice to the cause of world peace. Tier withdrawal from the League of Nations was even more stupid, for it will load other nations to believe that, like Japan, she was not sincere when, originally, she agreed that international disputes should he settled by arbitration and not l>y recourse to war. It would seem that Germany will now require to submit to intensified supervision of- her armaments.