A GERMAN PROPOSAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 746, 19 February 1910, Page 13

A GERMAN PROPOSAL.

"'9SOLIMIT'• NAVAL ARMAMENTS

The International Arbitration Assocla-' :tion. liaa, received the following: letter from, the,. German Peace. Society * m ac- . Jmowledgment'of'a!resolution of the conitoitteo cn'.Mr. [Blatchf 1 ■: "Dear. Colleagues and: Friends,—We re- ./ 'turn you our.hearty-thanks for,the-ener- . . gotic manner with which you have .r£'■■Plied 'tooflft of vnur.jn'TTnttH^-TrWfrfl.] been.-.trying, u?by... misrepresentation and ■■■ distrust, to disturb tlio agreement -between our countries. -We can; assure you;.:, that -not 'only. the German ify::; iPeace Society, but also the larger , part . - • ,ltf,'..thoVGerman people, •; reciprocates your , .friendly dispositions, and' that the Ger- : : ■ man .pacifists aro always on' tho ; look out, xeady to oppose: tho. incitements of cortun well-known - small. factions. .-

. "We also should hail with joy a Conirontion.for the limitation of naval armaments,: and wo acknowledge with pleasure : .that: the ; English. -Government- took .the first. step m this direction.. May. we ~ v lope that the Gorman diplomats will take . the.neit step, and that the peace-loving :■ etatesmen on-the River .Thames will-not .toe -intheir ..endeavours for that purpose. , :. ■ '."Wo think that ■ the best basis for tho of disarmament' would be an

agreement between the two countries that shouldhavo' the ,right' to/ spcatl .. each yeax.a certain sum, say, 35.0: million yTnarVs,. and .ffinglahd 700 marfca r. year, for , naval. Mniaments. , Naturally, /'this would : ibo' impb3sible; iip"ithout. .a- . simiiltaiieoua Convention between England and Geri . many,. by which the two countries would „ engage to . help each other, if attacked on . . sea by, another! Power, or that-all'the . sea .Powors . should" agrco at tho next Hague Conference..to. the fixing of their . . 'jiaval:budgets. . If 'you'agree with. us, ... dear . colleagues ana . friends, in these ...-' ideas; and propagate them, in your, conn•n. you oui: render "an important , service : to tho cause of universal peace. .' We as- • V':: pro. you of our ..warm friendship . and • bf. our ; .sincere regard. _ .' . .. . "DE.; ADOLF EICHTES, "President,

"PASTOE 0. DIIEEIED, e-President; German Peace. Society. January 1."