GERMAN ARMS DEMAND

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1932, Page 6

GERMAN ARMS DEMAND

BRITISH ATTITUDE Peace Treaty Must Be Kept READJUSTMENT QUESTION. MATTER FOR FRIENDLY NEGOTIATIONS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 17. The views of the British Govern niont (>n the question arising from the exchange of notes in the matter of disarmament, are published. The statement says:— “His Majesty’s Government think it unfortunate that a political controversy of this magnitude should arise at a moment when it is so necessary that attention and energy should not b(, diverted from the efforts so urgently needed to restore the prosperity of the world. Granted that th© question of equality of status would have arisen before the Disarmament Conference conciud. ed, there is grave disadvantage in forcing it to t.ho front at this stage. In view of Germany’s economic difficulties, the initiation of an acute controversy in the political field at this moment, must be accounted unwise, and in view of the concessions granted to Germany by her creditors it must be accounted particularly untimely. But as Germany’s claim th real ens fo impose an obstacle to the smooth harmonious working of the Conference, the Government consider th, v should offer some suggestions as, to how the claim might be dealt with. First, it is necessary to be clear as to what fh c claim involves, and the act ual treaty position. His Majesty’s Government can give no countenance or encouragement tp any disregard of treaty obligations, and desire to associate themselves with the opinion that it could n ot bo maintained as the correct legal construction of the Treaty of Versailles ami the connected cor-respond-nee. that Germany is legally entitled to abrogation of Part Five of the Treaty, by any disarmament convention to be concluded, or by a failure to conclude any convention at all. Still less it is possible to deduce that the manner, in which the general limitation of armaments was to be fulfilled was to bp precisely the same as the manner in which Germany’s armaments were limited by Part Five. The correct position, under the Treaty of Versailles, in Part Five, is still binding, and can only cease to be binging by agreement. So much has been stated for the purpose of clearing the ground, but the Government do not understand, that th© case put forward b v Germany is a legalistic deduction from the ]an guage of th© Treaty. It is rather an appeal for adjustment, based on the

fact that the limitation of Germany’s armament contained in the. Treaty, was intended to be a precursor of general limitation by others. His Majesty’s Government do not deny this fact, and do nOf seek to minimise the force* of the contention. So far as the Government of the Unit ’d Kingdom is concerned very large reductions of armaments have been made since the Treaty was signed. Nevertheless, the Government are earnestly collaborating at Geneva in promoting a measure of further disarmament. The Government hopes there may result from Geneva, in spit© of the difficulties, a really valuable measure of disarmament, in which each nation will bind itself to strict limitation, both in the kind and quantities of its weapons of war. Such a result can be a/tained only if due allowance is made, both for the needs and for the feelings of all the- 64 States concerned. The objects to bo aimed at are, in the cas© of the more 1 heavily armed Powers, the largest i possible reduction, and in the casc of the lightly armed States, at any rate no material increase. It would in. deed be a tragic paradox if th© outcome of the First Disarmament Conference were an increase in armaments The Government therefore conceive the object of th 6 Conference to b e to frame a disarmament convention, upon the principle that each State adopts fop itself in agreement with others, the limitation which is self-imposed and freely entered into as part of the mutual obligations of the signatories to one another. This conception of the purpose of the disarmament conference gives the. answer to the ques of status raised in the communication of tb.c German Government.

Questions status, as distinguisned from quantitative questions, involve considerations of national pride and dignity, which deeply touch the heart of peoples, and keep alive resentment, which would otherwise give place to more kindly feeling. In the interests of general appeasement, such question should bo disposed of by friendly negotiation, and the agreed adjustmen' 1 . not involving either disregard of the Treaty obligations, or an increase in th© sum of total armed forces, but this desirable consummation cannot be attained by peremptory challenge, or withdrawal from deliberations. It can only be reach, ed by patient discussion, between the States concerned.

Germany’s Aim IS IT LIBERTY TO RE ARM.'.’ (Received September 19 at 9.20 p.m.) LONDON, September .19. The British newspapers, generally, approve of the British Government’s Note to Germany. “The Times” says: “The present moment is one that has been extremely ill-chosen for the raising of a political controversy of such magnitude. The principle of the limitation of armaments is, in theory, accepted by all, and it seems desirable in the highest degree, that the statesmen meeting at Geneva should come to an early de-

cision as to whether they are prepared to abrogate those Clauses of Part Five of the Versailles Treaty which' arc inconsistent with disarmament. A reasonable decision on this point would either bring the representatives of Germany to Geneva or furnish the strongest evidence that what the present Germany Government really desires is liberty to re-arm. BRITISH NOTE CRITICISED. LONDON, September 19. The Daily Chronicle-, in a leading article criticises the British note as bnng an unsatisfactory use of Britain’s opportunity to clarify Europe’s problems. It says: “The trouble is that it ignores facts.” LLOYD GEORGE. TAKES GERMAN SIDE. BERLIN, September 19. Mr D. Lloyd George has an article in the “Boersen Courier,” in which he declares that he is one of the sur- ■ viving statesmen responsible for the Treaty of Versailles, and as such he supports the German claim to obtain ; equality in armaments. He asserts that the victorious nations have shamelessly broken faith regarding disarmament. French Uncertainty WHAT DOES BRITAIN MEAN? (Received September 19 at 7 p.m.) PARIS, September 19. The British Government’s statement on the German claim to equality in armaments, has been received with mixed feelings in France, in view of the possibility that it means tampering with the Versailles Treaty in order to save the Disarmament Conference, but the apparent rebuke to Germany for raising this thorny issue at the present juncture is applauded. Germany’s Secret Arming GOING ON FOR YEARS. LONDON, September 19. The London Daily Chronicle’s Paris correspondent says that the. Dossier cabled yesterday showing Germany s armaments, allegedly establishes beyond doubt the fact that Germany has been arming herself feverishly for several years, and that factories in Ho'land, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and in Russia, have secretly been manufacturing for her, guns, rifles, ammunition and aeroplanes.