NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1934. IS GERMANY REARMING?

Northern Advocate, 26 December 1934, Page 4

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1934. IS GERMANY REARMING?

Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper.

Whatever inferences and conclusions may be drawn- from reports by correspondents that Germany is stealthily and formidably building up her naval, military and air strength, there is no doubt as to the disquieting nature of these allegedly authentic accounts, which were brought to a culminating point by Mr Baldwin in his recent House of Commons speech. During the past year many rumours and reports have already caused alarm in France and England. The Berlin correspondent of the “Daily Express” gave a striking account of a large aerodrome at Celle, which he alleged was for military purposes. M. Mandel, in the French Chamber of Deputies, went so far as to describe Germany as “an armed camp,” Books such as “Hitler Over Europe,” and “Germany’s Secret Armaments,* - give elaborate details of what they claim to bo aggressive" strengthening of German air forces, and the plans of General Goering for invasion of France and Great Britain by air. More definite is tire fact that the German Budget this year showed' an increase of expenditure upon air forces from 78 million reiehmark last year to 210 million for the coming year. But it is the uncertainty regarding the extent of German rearmament in Hie air. the result of Gorman sec-recy,-rather than the fact of the rearmament itself that has been causing anxiety. Mr Baldwin pointed this out clearly when lie said that he hoped that “Germany would tear away the veil of secrecy. . . . So long as she stays by herself so more and more suspicion must grow.” It is the ignorance of what is really happening inside Germany that promotes fear amongst her neighbours. German rearmament is, of course, in contravention of Part V. of the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed upon the four defeated Powers total prohibition of all “military and naval air forces.” But France, as Mr Lloyd George suggested shrewdly, is not likely to press the legal point, as it would only cause further trouble.

The avli ol o quest ion of Gorman rearmament can only he understood in the light of the Versailles Treaty and subsequent events. Germany claims that the other Powers broke their pledge to make live disarmament of Germany the first step in general disarmament. Other nations,. France in particular, have been increasing their air forces. Germany, therefore, holds that she is not bound by a treaty violated by the other parties. She demands equality of treatment, and Great Britain at the Draft Convention not only proposed reductions in the number and size of

military aircraft, but also recognised the Gorman claim to equality. A- German Note early this year, however, definitely stated that Germany would be content with a defensive air force, not including bombing ’planes, the numerical strength of which would not exceed 30 per cent, of the combined force of Germany’s neighbours, or 50 per cent! of the French strength, whichever was the less. The offer was not accepted, and the failure of Germany and Franco to come to an agreement which would satisfy both has resulted in extremism in Germany, which, in turn, has now alienated the sympathies of other countries and left the Nazi regime in isolation.

No realist expects that a nation of sixty million people will be content to remain defenceless amidst powerfully armed neighbours. But German rearmament need not cause needless panic. In the first place, Germany starts with heavy handicaps. It must be some years before her air forces could he dangerous. And whatever the extent) of rearmament, her strength in the air must be considerably less than that of other countries, particularly France, the most heavily armed nation in Europe. And Great Britain, as Mr Baldwin emphasises, with a strong and efficient air force and a. new heavy aerial programme, heed not feel alarm. Her margin of superiority is considerable. On the other hand, there is Mr Baldwin’s own statement that the frontier of Great Britain is now the Rhine, owing to the development of fighting ’planes with a speed of well over 200 miles an hour. No one doubts that the air arm will be vital in any future war, whilst the manoeuvres over London, Paris, and Tokio

have all shown that there is no really adequate defence against aggression from the air except by another offensive. The terrible possibilities of aerial warfare lend 'strength'to Mr Baldwin’s official declaration that “We have declared afresh to the world that wo want regulated limitation, not competitive and unregulated armaments. It is a new effort to, establish peace.” Armaments can never bring peace, and security, in Mr Lloyd George’s, words, “rests more in disarmament than rearmament.” But at present the nations, who live in glass houses cannot afford to. throw stones at Germany, and the only hope of a permanent way out of the dilemma is by collective agreement, a return to the League by Germany, and open discussion of the whole question.