DISARMAMENT

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 47, 19 November 1926, Page 11

DISARMAMENT

DISCUSSED IN HOUSE OF LORDS ABOLITION OF CHEMICAL AND SUBMARINE WARFARE FAVOURED BY ASQUITH AND CECIL During a debate on disarmament in the House of Lords, Viscount Ceci! said he was sanguine about the prospects of an international scheme. BY Telegbafh.—Press association Copyright. (Rec. November 18, 7.15 p.m.) ■ London, November 17. In the House of Lords Lord Parmoor drew’ attention to the mandates and disarmament apropos of the Geneva decisions. He urged that the attitude of Britain was sn essential factor in the success of disarmament, and the Government should enlarge the area wherein it was to avail itself of arbitration. Regarding mandates, Lord 1 armoor asked the' Government whether it agreed with the Governor-General. of New Zealand that the first consideration of a mandatory Power was the > Itimate benefit of the inhabitants of the mandated territory. The F.arl of Oxford and Asquith smd substantial efforts had been made for the cause of peace under the Washington and Locarno Agreements, but Washington left land, aircraft, and submarines untouched. The disarmament of Germany, in the view of the signatories to the Treaty cf A ersa’lles. was regarded as the first ‘ten in genera' disarmament, but the advance since had been small. Lord Oxford nontended that the use of. chemical and bacteriological agencies in war should be prohibited, also submarines. The first thing should be tc limit peacetime armaments.

Viscount Ceci! agreed that chemical warfare and submarines fhoulcl be abolished, but there was to. unanimity of opinion regarding sulmnri ies. The discussions: however, showed that disarmament was quite a practicable thing, and lie was sangm’ne "'bout the prospects of an international • isarmament scheme.