The Gisborne Times MONDAY, APRIL 15, 1935. AN HISTORIC CONFERENCE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12529, 15 April 1935, Page 4

The Gisborne Times MONDAY, APRIL 15, 1935. AN HISTORIC CONFERENCE

There is world-wide -speculation as to wlrat m,ay be the upsffot ra respect of the important conference at Stress'. What is certain however, is that there will be no immediate, definite result's. Tihe conference has well been described as likely to prove merely of an exploratory character. Its aim is, in short, to discover some basis of negotiation by means of which the whole of Europe may b'o included ill a Security Pact. There is no secret as to where Franco and 1 Italy stand. Both, are very perturbed on account of the fact tliat, without consulting the Allien Germany -lias decided np°n establishing a new army much larger in strength than they would have been prepared t'o agree to. True it is, also that Britain considers that Germany has exceeded! limits tliat should: have been reasonable. But there are one or two aspects <of the matter upon which there may he nvsundefstanfling. It .shot? Id really not have come as any -surprise when it was found that Britain was not prepared to decry Germany’s i■attitude ns keenly as France and Italy had done. 'On lvef part. Franco can sod ip Germany's- incn-e only threatened hostility towards' herself. Italy, oh thy other hand, iy, most anxious as t'o Germany’s designs a/r-ninst Austria. Blit Britain reemircs to view the matter also' from other angles. Germany pfefesscs that she requires av> army larger than the Allies would have consented to on account of the fact, that! slie, is alarmed oyer the growth of the

Russian forces as well as over intensified militarism in France and Italy. Under the Treaty .of Versa! 11 a?, Germany was > entitled to an army of 100,000 men. The Allies woro willing that the number should be. doubjled. Germany,, ho,woven, now contends that, in the light °f tiiQ existing international situation, sho requires at least 503,000 armed troops. It has, well been suggested that Britain will prove the . pivot ot Stresa.. On behalf of the Allies she has adopted a commonsense attitude It was on'.y right that the Russian ■situation should have been' investigated prior to the holding of the conference at Stresa.. If ip can he shown that Germany really has n 0 grounds to fear Russia, it will place the problem in quite another iight. What the Soviet Government may have agreedi to is that the Red forces will be reduced if Germany enters the proposed Security Pact and, at the same time, limits her armaments plans. Naturally, Germany feels that if both France and Russia are potential! enemies—to say nothing of Italy —an army of only 2CO 000 men,’ the limit .suggested by 1 France, would leave her in a very awkward position. The Stresa. conference will provide the formula by means of which an acid test may be made as to Germany’s sincerity. In the meantime patience requires to be exercised'. Last week, in the Rouse of Commons, there were complaints that Britain had not disclosed her Stresa policy It should now he agreed that, it would have been foolishness on Britain’s part to have committed herself in advance.