BRITISH REPLY

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1932, Page 5

BRITISH REPLY

TO GERMAN CLAIM LATTER’S' ATTITUDE UNCHANGED (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) BERLIN, September 19. The official spokesman of the German Foreign "Office, stated that Britain’s note had not changed either Germany’s attitude towards disarmament, or her decision not * to r participate, in the Geneva bureaU deliberations. The position would' be- ’aggrava ted, he added, if France League to inquire into Germany’s secret armaments, which, he declared, to be a resurrection of the old mare’s nest, (raised by M. Tardieu. He also denied that Germany was secretly- manufacturing arms in Danish and Scandinavian factories. " , V.' ’!; rii- -. . “I PRESS REVIEWS POSITION. BRITISH VIEW SUPPORTED.

’ .. RUGBY, September 19. Commenting oil the -- British rffieindrAttduttl, the *‘i>aily Telegraph” Says if— Thii simple answer to Germany is'per* yided by the idea that-in the next phase of the .Conference, results may be obtained far in advance, of the present very disappointing harvest, ana the Government will wdrk to achieve them. Britain!# very helpful proposal should form the basis of an understanding, assuring, the continuance of the conference, arid renewing the hopes wherewith the enterprise , was launch- ' ed. :

The “Daily Mail” says;, The German Government should ; recognise the question; of status “should be disposed of by frfee negotiations and agreed adjustment, not. involving either disregard of treaty obligations, or increase in the sum ‘total of armed forces.” .

The “News-Chronicle” says: In order that the British appeal should be made effective, it is estimated that some guarantee be given that the powers, and France in particular, now mean business, and if Germany returns to Geneva, she may .be , assured that some measure of disarmament will iollow. S iv V,..;..

The “Manchester .Guardi,an” says: The British memorandum should contribute •to meet the ; difficulty created by the German demand. It means although ‘the .disarmament; clauses of the treaty remain. in theory, they will in effect be superseded ri by the convention, under which Germany freely accepts certain limitations, while as proof of sincerity, the armed powers Will impose off thfemselires , the . largest possible reduction,', arid 'strict limitation. Whether this policy will now be a lever to remove the rapidlyaccumulating dbiftacle will depend both on it* ipirit and on its practical application to the various arms. The “Daily Herald” says! The upehot should be a request to the Germans to re-join the bureau for the immediate purpose of discussing frankly and without prejudice, the whole' question of equal status of the Versailles restrictions, and their relation to the future work of the conference., .

Mr Henderson contributes a special article to the *‘News-Chronicle,’ ’ emphasising the crucial nature of Germany’s claim to equality of military status. He says that the only way to ease the situation is a frank declaration that the powers will redeem the Versailles obligations. . A Geneva ' report - states that in answer to the letter of the German Government, stating Germany would not be represented at the Disarmament Conference, Mr A. Henderson has written expressing regret.

He says lie is convinced that the results of the Conference will be important, and he asks the German Government to reconsider the decision, as the prolonged absences of Germany might seriously affect the cause of general disarmament.

GERMAN RESENTMENT. OF BRITISH NOTE. (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) LONDON September 20. The “Times” Berlin correspondent says the British statement on the German demand' for armaments equality was received with surprise and resentment, because such a sharp criticism concerning the unwisdom of German efforts and such an Uncompromising refutation of German legal arguments were not here expected. The resentment arises because of the suggestion that German action might hinder the smooth harmonious work of the disarmament conference. This it is claimed, is English hypocrisy at the worst, hut the masterly drafting of tho British statement is ru'efully realised' by official Germany, and there is disillusionment and disappointment among a large body of German opinion over the British attitude, comparable"only with the astonishment over the British declaration of war in 1914,

So moderate a journal as the “Deutsche Allegeinenie Zeitmrg” declares the British note is framed in a schoolmasterly, ironic tone which is quite intolerable, adding that it'will completely destroy Germany’s last belief in British goodwill.