NATIONS’ ARMAMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 120, 20 April 1934, Page 7

NATIONS’ ARMAMENTS

GERMANY’S EXPENDITURE. BEARING ON TREATY. NO FURTHER STATEMENT. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copy fight.) (British Official Wirelyss.) Received April 20, 9.20 a.m. RUGBY, April 19. Asked whether, now that ho had received a reply from the German Government in regard to increased expenditure on armaments, he could make a statement as to its bearing on the Treaty of Versailles, and if he intended to take any action, Mr R. A. Eden (Lord Privy Seal) replied on behalf of Sir John Simon (Foreign Secretary) that he was unable at present to make any further statement. FAILURE OF NEGOTIATIONS. FRANCE BLAMES GERMANY. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY", April 18. The further memoranda on disarmament exchanged between _ governments in accordance with the decision of the Bureau of the Conference that supplementary efforts to reach agreement should be continued through diplomatic channels are contained in a White Paper published to-night. They include the Motes which passed between the Governments of France, Germany, and Britain, the statement of the views expressed by Signor Mussolini in Ins recent interview with Mr R. A. Eden, and the text of the memorandum received last week from the Danish, Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish and Swiss delegations to the Disarmament Conference. In the last-mentioned memorandum particular emphasis is laid on the fact that a convention of limited scope does not appear reliable for the reinforcement of anything going beyond the proposals of the British mem ora ndum. It adds that, in view of the gravity of the situation, it is the duty of signatories to take into serious consideration any reasonable proposal for increasing guarantees within the limits of the acknowledged obligations of the covenant and taking into account the special situation occupied bv anv state in the League of Nations. “In this connection,” it states, “Germany’s return to the League would undoubtedly represent an important contribution to the solution of the grave problem of collective security.” CLAIM TO EQUALITY.

On this subject the German Government, in its stateemnt of views communicated to the British Government on April 16, declares that it considers Germany’s return to the League can be dealt with only after the solution of tire question of disarmament and, above all, of Germany’s equality of rights. Subject to this and other important modifications, the German Government expresses readiness to accept the British memorandum as a basis of convention.

It states that it finds it impossible to wait two years for appropriate means of aerial defence. It wishes to possess a defensive air force of shortrange 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, whichever was less. This claim the German Government makes without prejudice to the result of the air inquiry, 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 witlr the principal air Powers at the end of the 10 years of the convention. The German Government would be prepared to agree on a basis of reciprocity to the institution of new regulations to ensure the non-military character of the S.A. (Storm-Troopers) and S.S. (Leaders Escort Troops); such character to be verified by supervision. The German Government also agrees to a postponement of resumptions of armaments of others Powers until the end of the fifth year of the convention, the measurement of disarmament laid down in the United Kingdom memorandum being carried out during the second five years of the convention. Other proposals made in the United Kingdom memorandum which would be unaffected by these modifications, such as supervision, are accepted by the Government. TREATY CONTEMPT ALLEGED. The French Foreign Secretary, in the Note received in London to-day in reply to Sir John Simon’s letter to the French Ambassador last week on the subject of guarantees of execution of the convention, points out that the British communication was received simultaneously with the publication in Berlin of the German 1934-35 Budget, which showed increases in the expenses of the Ministers of the Army, the Navy and Air amounting to 362,000,000 marks. The British Government was no less concerned than France at the size of this increase in expenditure, but the explanations received in return to representations at Berlin were like a justification rather than a reaffirqiation. In reality, the German Government, without awaiting the results of the negotiations which were in progress, had wished to impose its determination to continue every form of rearmament within limits of which it claims to be the sole judge, in contempt of the provisions of the Treaty, which, in the absence of any other convention, continue to govern on its armaments. “Facts of such exceptional gravity can lead to only one observation and conclusion. They prove that the German Government, whether of set purpose or not has made impossible negotiations tne basis of which it lias by its own act destroyed. Even before seeeking to discover whether an agreement could be obtained upon a system of guarantees sufficiently efficacious to permit the signature of a convention which would result in the substantial rearmament of Germany, France must place in the forefront of her preoccupations the conditions of her own security, which she does not separate from that of other interested Powers. NO FAVOURABLE SOLUTION. “The return of Germany to the League, which ended so abruptly, might have furnished opportunity and means of dissipating, at least in part, these preoccupations. 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. Experience of the last war, the 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 the execution of the convention. She regrets that the action of a. third party should abruptly have rendered vain such negotiations.” NEGOTIATIONS DEAD. GERMANY’S BELLICOSE DEMEANOUR. ATTACK OR DEFENCE? LONDON, April 19. The French Note constitutes leading news in all papers. Editorials unanimously regard the disarmament negotiations in the latest form as dead. The Morning Post says that if Germany finds herself encircled in consequence of her bellicose demeanour, the 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 that it is certainly regrettable that Germany is organising aerodromes in demilitarised zones, but it is more important to look forward than back. The essential question is whether the militnry preparations are going beyond legitimate requirements of national defence. The best way to keep a check on her rearmament must surely be a system of investigation, which can only follow the conclusion of a convention. The Daily Telegraph says that it would be as foolish as it was impossible to conceal the fact that the Note, beneath its courteous wording, rejects all schemes for the limitation of armaments proposed by the British and Italian Government. France shows her traditional realism. No move on the part of the German Government could have been less fortunately timed than the recent announcement to increase arms estimates. The Powers are now left free to make their own arrangement*. AIMS FOR PEACE. NAZI’S IMPASSIONED APPEAL. BERLIN, April 18. “The Nazi revolution is comparable only to the introduction of Christianity, the invention of printing or gunpowder, and the discovery of America,” said Captain Reohm, chief of staff of the Storm Troopers, in an impassioned appeal to foreign journalists to make the world realist# Germany’s aims, which were for peace. “But let nobody imagine,” he added, “that they can obstruct Germany’s future. The people are ready to defend it to the last man. Monarchist reactionaries will not be tolerated. I believe the German crown lies on the battlefield, and doubt whether Germans would fight for it there.” MIMIC AERIAL ATTACK. BERLIN ,April 18. At 9.15 last night Cologne underwent a mimic aerial attack. Curtains were drawn, all lights on trams, cars, and streets extinguished, and traffic stopped. The city was in complete darkness until 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.