OVER TO FRANCE
Two contrary arguments have been used against the re- arming of Western Germany (often, by the same people): that the, arms may be turned against the West, or that they are rendered useless by the advent of the H-bomb. It has been made clear that even if the Germans wished to Turn their cannon against the West, they would be unable to do so under the Paris agreement's terms : and it should be equally obvious by now that conventional weapons are, in a sen,se, even more important than they were before the H-bomb had been heard of. The trouble with the H-bomb as a deterrent is that it is too dangerous for tactical use; it encourages the adoption of plans for insidious infiltration of defences, rather than for full-scale war. In any case, even if the weapons were of little practical use, the ps;chological advantage of West German adherence to the Western world would be enormous. A com- parison of the attitude of Bundestag members to that of the French deputies in the ratification debates—particularly on the subject of the Saar—is not flattering to the French. If the majority of German deputies were not foolish enough to be deceived by Russian 'unification' lures, there is correspond- ingly less excuse for French deputies to let themselves be fooled by propaganda about the danger of a renascent rearmed Germany.
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