Sept. 9.
The German aide memoirs to France on the subject of armaments may be read in two. different ways, both of which have an important bearing on international politics, and may, have a profound effect upon the attempts still proceeding obtain an all round reduction. Germany, in short, demands that she shall no longer be treated as a second class state—it is goubtful if she ever has been—a general reduction on the part of the other Powers to Jo level forced on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles, and the right to revise her defence aystem, including the period of military service, the structure lof her forces and the formation lof a special militia. The demands in themselves indicate a. rebellion against the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, a document which may not now be so admire fable as its draftsman originally believed it to be. It was then jeonsidered that a document [should be drawn up and signed by Germany which would for all time remove the'menace to world peace, which the ante Dellum state of mind in that country, undoubtedly constituted. 'The logical result was that conditions were imposed on the nation seeking peace, which admittedly proved arduous from the point: lof view of reparations, and the deprivation of colonial' holdings. The question of the former is in fair way to settlement, still depending upon the action that [will be taken by the United States, while there is indication that in the compai tively near future Germany will seek the restoration to her of those territories which she then lost. In other words, Germany insists that, so far as it can be done, the should be made as whole as possible after the damage wrought by the Great War, irrespective of her deserts in the matter.
In view of the case made out by Germany at the Lausanne Con-_ ference for a reduction of reparations, it is a little difficult to reconcile the suggested changes in military organisation, which must inevitably involve a greater' Jexpenditure, with the statements. then made.' More difficult still to do so, when the dimensions of the prosperity campaign are also taken into consideration. But it is not easy to believe that all the! disabilities imposed on that country as a result of her defeat. should be continued indefinitely land it may of be unreasonable to contend that a term should be put to them. With the German demand that armaments should he reduced all round to the German level it is not particularly wise to, disagree, Accepted at} its highest the "proposal have the effect of considerably strengthening the suggestion on the same subject, put before the Disarmament Conference by} President Hoover, on which some, though not enough, progress has been made. Germany, however, desires, until that! seduction has been effected, the right to make some morea her reason alleges she entertains as to the safety of her eastern borders. That would not be unreasonable if, in addition to individual precautions for security, machinery had not been provided by an organisation of which Germany herself is a member. The same argument may be applied to Germany's view of military developments in France, where the further contention. seems applicable that Germany needs further protection against the defensive measures which \France feels to be necessary, whatever may be the opinion of other countries.
Be those considerations they may, one fact is clear. The attitude of France in the matter, up to the present, appears to be ithe only one she' could possibly have adopted, Any change in the armaments of Germany, any variation of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, is a matter not solely for France, but for the whole of the signatories to that most fateful document. To that, Jextent the question is an international one, and while, course, the French attitude will be the main contributing factor to any decision which may be arrived at it is clear that the ultimate judgment must rest in ithe hands of a number of governments, On this score it is not possible to agree with the dictum f "Lo Journal des Débats" that the German policy can only lead to war." Nor ie that of "La [Liberté" that "Germany means that though she lost the war, she considers she should have won it," any greater contribution to consideration to the question which Germany has raised. On [the other hand whatever may be the result of Germany's latest move, it has at least the merit lof putting the cards fairly and squarely on the table and thereby giving ample indication lof what are that country's aspirations in the future. Nevertheless until the world. is definitely convinced that the leopard has changed his spots jand the Ethiopian his skin, the German government cannot but expect that any attempt to vary its undertakings with regard to army will be scrutinized with the greatest care, not only by France, who will probably refquire the greater conviction, but also by the rest of the European Powers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.