A TRIUMPH FOR PATIENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1932, Page 6

A TRIUMPH FOR PATIENCE.

The news that Germany has decided to rejoin the Disarmament Conference is a tribute to the patient and continuous efforts made by of Great Britain and the United States. Germany’s withdrawal was based upon the fact that while her limitations under the Treaty of Versailles were enforced, other nations, whose armaments were also to be reduced when the treaty came into force, had done just what seemed to suit best their own desires and circumstances. In other words, the victors ignored the treaty, while the vanquished had to accept the limitations it imposed. It was useless, contended Germany, discussing disarmament with nations which had not carried out treaty obligations, and unless she, too, were absolved from those obligations she would take no further share in the Disarmament Conference. The justice of Germany’s claim to equality was immediately admitted by Great Britain; but it was contended that the equality must be brought about by other nations reducing armaments rather than by Germany increasing hers to the standards set by others. Only by international action could this be brought about, and international discussions with Germany, standing sullenly aloof were obviously of little avail. The efforts of the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, to find a way. out of the difficulty have been successful insofar that Germany’s right to equality has been recognised, she will rejoin the Disarmament Conference, and there appears some hope that the conference may accomplish a real diminution in warlike preparation. Mr. MacDonald has been consistently supported by the representative of the United States, Mr. Norman Davis, and their efforts have at least postponed the breakdown of the Disarmament Conference which a week or two ago seemed imminent.