Down Arms!

The Conference of Ambassadors* forwarded a strong note to the German Government giving it 30 days in which to submit to Allied military control.

The note, which was approved by Belgian, British, French and Italian Premiers, was a virtual ultimatum, stating bluntly that the Allies did not believe that Germany had carried out the disarmament clauses of the Versailles Treaty and demanding a general inspection "for three or four months" to establish the true state of Germany's "preparedness." Control by the League of Nations was refused. Upon the result of the inquiry the Allies would base further action.

The blame for the necessity of investigation was laid upon Germany: "If now, more than four years after the Treaty has been in effect, Germany must accept investigation by interallied commission, the responsibility for this situation is hers, for without the systematic obstruction, of which the Allies so often have complained, disarmament operations would have been finished long ago. . . ."

Concluding, the note said: "In any event, the present situation, which is the source of constant difficulty, cannot be allowed to continue and the Allied Governments depend on the German Government to understand it is for the general interest for it to make an immediate favorable decision. They, therefore, expect the German Government will notify them as soon as possible, and in any case before June 30, that it accepts the proposition made in the present note concerning general inspection and the consequent limitation of control to five classes."

It was clearly stipulated in the Treaty of Versailles that Germany must submit to Allied military control, but when the French and Belgians entered the Ruhr in January, 1923, control lapsed. When passive resistance to the Franco-Belgian forces was abandoned by the Germans, the Allies stated their desire to resume military inspection. Several notes were exchanged without visible effect.

On March 5 of this year the Allies sent a stiff note to Germany, demanding a general Allied inquiiry into her military status. It was felt that if Germany had carried out the disarmament clauses of the Treaty, there was no reason for her to fear Allied inspection and, therefore, a refusal of the Allied demands could not reasonably be defended; conversely, her attitude must presuppose guilt.

On March 31 Germany replied that there was not any need of Allied supervision, but suggested military control be transferred to the League of Nations under Article 213 of the Treaty of Versailles.*

Until the present note, no action was taken by the Allies, who feared to heap fuel on the fires of Nationalism during the recent election.

*The Conference of Ambassadors is composed of the Allied Ambassadors accredited to France acting under the Chairmanship of the French Minister for Foreign Affairs. It grew out of the Supreme Council during the Peace Conference and was instituted to facilitate the solution of numerous peace problems not important enough to warrant a conference of Allied Premiers. Its first meeting was in Jan. 1920.

*Article 213 of the Treaty of Versailles: "So long as the present Treaty remains in force, Germany undertakes to give every facility for any investigation which the Council of the League of Nations, acting if need be by a majority vote, may consider necessary."