DISARMAMENT

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10202, 1 April 1911, Page 5

DISARMAMENT

AN IMPORTANT PRONOUNCEMENT. BY A GERMAN MINISTER.. Last Night, 10.10 o'clock) BERLIN, March 31. Count Hollweg, Minister of War, /referring in the Reichstag to the Socialist-Democratic, proposal that he should initiate a general limitation of armaments, argued that Germany had studied the question, and was unable to find a suitable 'formula. He was not aware that others would be more successful. The time when European wars could; be made by Cabinets was pa3t. Wars could only arise where an antagonist 'had routed popular sentiment, which was very susceptible to an influence <4SP se t na k OI * ne irresponsible agitaj[tions of the Press. If an international effort was created as a coun*ter poise to such influences he would rejoice; but a definite programme of disarmament was another, question, and judt'-ns indefinite and 1 hazy proposals were calculated to! disturb *■* instead of promote • peace,; any scheme for settling the strength' of nations in accordance with a sort of precedence list, or arithmetically, according to areas of influence, was bound to fail. Count Hollweg continued: "Somebody may lay a claim to a rank of , 'precedence already fulfilled: ~England is convinced, and lias repeatedly declared, that notwithstanding t[ali her wishes for a limitation-" of a . ' *"ii • armaments and international arbi^j tration, her Meet must, under all i circumstances, be a match for, or superior to any posible combination in the world. She is entitled to aim at that, but it is quite a different matter to make such a claim jas the basis of an agreement, which r by peaceful assent, is to be accepted by other Powers, that is, if counter claims are raised and the Powers are not satisfied with the respective roles assigned them. Similarly, an attempt to fix the strength of armies is impracticable. The greatest obstacle is the question of control.".' i *V J , The Count instanced Napoleon',B ] to limit the Prussian Army ; 'to forty-two thousand. | Referring to Sir Edward Grey's f suggestion, he said that an ex- j change of information, regarding j ship building would prevent , sur-j prises. He remarked that Germany had been able to fall in with the idea all the sooner, inasmuch as her ship-building programme was always laid open, and she had therefore de- ; clared her readiness to come to an i agreement with England on the mat" i ter, hoping thereby, and expecting, that a calming of public opinion in England would follow. An unrestricted treaty such as President Taft ;. and Sir Edward Grey had suggested, put a seal on a state- of * things already existing de' facto. "Let the situation change," he said, "let antagonists touching our vital interests arise, then I would j like to see an arbitration treaty that would not burn like tinder." j He concluded by emphasising thai j Germany, strategically, IveTS an ex'posed position, and had ■ need for I constant readiness, remembering ] that her peaceablehess depends tip-] 'on her strength.