"A BLUNDER"

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 356, 18 October 1932, Page 5

"A BLUNDER"

(British Official Wireless)

GERMAN ATTITUDE TOWARD PROPOSED MEETING AT GENEVA ALIENATE SYMPATHY

Rughy, Oct. 16. Commenting on Germany's refusal so f ar to accept the- proposal approved by Britain, France and Italy for a meeting at Geneva to . seek a soMtion of the difliculty which interrupted German participation in the work of the Disarmament Conference the Times asks, is such a decision in Germany's interests? The journal adds that "at fii'st sight it certainly seems a blunder that the German Government should refuse to discuss her wishes with the three other Governments principally concerned merely because it is now proposed to meet in one place instead of another, particularly as the other Governments overcame many of their original objections and that France" in partieular has been persuaded to limit the conversations to four Powers and not enlarge it as they would have preferred. It must se-em unwise on the part of the German Government to wreek a proposal on what is a mere point of prestige, especially since they have won such a general admission of the justiee of their claims for equal status. In this country their claim rd-! ceived almost universal sympathy ahd support on the. understanding, whicli' iS paramount, that its recognition was* to be made to promote disarmameril" all round, and not xised as a pretext for re-armament. This sympathy and support can; only be weakened by anything whidh throws doubt on the sincerity of Germany desiring co-operation with other Powers to work for the psace of Europe."