GERMAN NOTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21717, 5 February 1934, Page 9

GERMAN NOTE

ARMS PROBLEM FRENCH PLAN REVIEWED iVARIOUS OBJECTIONS "KADICAL INEQUALITY" AMIY AND AIR FORCE By Telesrraph—Press Association—Copyricht (Received February 4. 5.5 p.m.) BERLIN. Feb. 3 The German Government's reply to the French aide memoire on disarmament'hns been published. It says: "We have grave doubts whether this, is the way to treat the disarmament problem in accordance with justice and the serving of the cause of peace. " Germany's principal objections are that the French suggestions regarding war material would postpone disarmament for several years. It would be no contribution to security if the highly-armed States merely undertook not to prepare new weapons of aggression while Germany had to be content with the thoroughly inadequate weapons allowed her under the Troaty of Versailles.

" The question of the numerical strength of armies can be decided only when it is known what France proposes to do about her overseas troops, especially her African forces, which can be brought to Europe at a moment's notice.

"If it is intended that Germany shall not possess an air force it is not even to be suggested that a reduction of the air strength of the other States would alter Germany's condition of radical inequality and total defencelessness. " Germany doubts the fairness of the proposed control system, which will work differently in disarmed States as opposed to the highly-armed ones. " Is discrimination against Germany to be prolonged for a further period of years? Can the other Powers find any justification for a plan which is so hard to reconcile with the honour and security of the German people?" FRENCH PROPOSALS PUBLICATION IN EUROPE IMPORTANCE OF AGREEMENT British Wireless RUGBY. Feb. 2 To the British and Italian disarmament proposals at present under consideration by the Governments of the world there has now been added a French memorandum on the subject. This was handed to the German Government on Monday and has been published in all the four principal European countries. The memorandum puts forward the French ide'as on disarmament, and it is notable that in spite of the difference expressed in many viewpoints, there is at least a common recognition of the paramount importance to the peace of the world of an agreement which will avoid the almost inevitably catastrophic consequences of an armaments race. Another underlying consideration is the economic and social consequences of vast and wasteful expenditure which might follow failure to agree to an armaments convention. It is noted in London that particular attention is devoted in some quarters to the British proposals for air armaments. The British Government has repeatedly emphasised the importance of this aspect of the problem, and the new memorandum recognises that these may prove to be the most potent military weapons in the possession of mankind. '

Article 35 of the British draft convention required that the Permanent Disarmament Commission should work out schemes for the total elimination of military and naval aircraft, dependent on the effective supervision of civil aircraft. Britain now proposes that if the commission has not decided on abolition at the end of two years, all countries will be entitled to possess military aircraft.

The memorandum remarks that in the British Government's views "it will be prejudicial to the prospects of an inquiry that any party not hitherto entitled to possess military aircraft should claim such possession pending the results of the inquiry. At the same time the British Government frankly recognises that Germany and other States not at present entitled to own military aircraft could not be asked to postpone their claim for long." The proposal puts a term to the discussion, which- might have been much prolonged. The memorandum suggests that Germany in the meantime should be entitled to possess anti-aircraft guns. ANGLO-ITALIAN PLANS PARIS JOURNAL'S CRITICISM PARIS, Feb. 2 Le Quotidien says: "The British and Italian disarmament Notes leave us stupefied. Britain's only object seemingly is to satisfy both parties to the lawsuit. The plan is to squeeze the lemon till the pips 6queak, and we know who the lemon is."