DISARMAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 31, 6 February 1932, Page 12

DISARMAMENT

A SUPER-POWER

FRENCH PROPOSALS

TARDIEU FORESTALLS SIMON

BRITAIN OBJECTS

United Press Association—By Electric Telecraph—Copyright (Received Cth February, 2.15 p.m.) GENEVA, sth February. M. Andre Tardieu created a sensation by circulating far-reaching proposals for disarmament, thereby scoring a success and forestalling Sir John Simon's speech, which was intended to launch tho Conference. The proposals envisage making the League of Nations a super-Power in the world's councils. The committee which heads the delegations will consider the suggestions, which emanate from the French Cabinet, the National Defence Council, the Preparatory Disarmament Committee, and Marshals Petain and Weygand. The proposals include a reduction of French armaments conditional on guarantees of national security. Signatory States only shall be allowed to construct and use aircraft, which will be of a non-military character and of fixed tonnage. Machines above this figure may be employed only by Continental, intercontinental, and intercolonial organisations dnrer ten auspices of the League, which alone may dispose heavy bombers over a specified radius. The construction of machines exceeding certain tonnage shall be forbidden. Only the States pledging themselves to place their forces at the League's disposal for joint action to prevent and suppress war may include machines of a tonnage between the limits mentioned, but signatories which are victims of aggressive bombardment may make retaliatory use of all air forces. The plan suggests placing at the League's disposal under similar conditions to those governing heavy longrange artillery, vessels exceeding 10,000 tons or gunned over 8-inch, or submarines exceeding a specified tonnage. Each signatory shall contribute a quota to an international police .force to prevent war and punitive troops to repress it and assist the victims of aggression. The League will organise and control these forces by political measures, which plan necessitates the acceptance of compulsory arbitration, defines agof compulsory arbitration. It defines aggression and guarantees rapid international decision and conformity in international law and rules protecting civilians. It includes the prohibition of projectiles containing poison gas, bacteria, or incendiary materials, and aerial or artillery bombardments beyond a certain distance of the f-ront line or coast. The proposals conclude as follows:— "The Conference offers the greatest opportunity, and is a definite choice between a League possessing executive authority and a League paralysed by intransigency and national sovereignty. France has made her choice, and asks the other nations to make theirs." BRITISH CRITICISM. Lord Cecil, in welcoming the proposals, says they begin at the wrong end. "Let us hear that disarmament has been passed before dealing with precautions for security. Is France ready to abandon all weapons forbidden to defeated powers?" British circles generally approve somebody presenting a concrete plan affording tangible matter for discussion by the Conference. WHAT THE POWERS THINK. German circles recognise many old acquaintances in a new guise among the French proposals, and they think a diligent search might reveal some trace of world disarmament. Tho Italians arc disinclined to regard the scheme' seriously. They dislike making the League a dominant Power, and declare that the plan is not disarmament but merely a transfer of armaments to the American delegation. They see no innovation in the plan, which merely follows the stand France has taken for years and adopts the attitude of benevolent neutrality. It is considered that the conference is certain to reject the plan as containing all the original difficulties of the Versailles Treaty. I WOMEN AGAINST WAR. A lorry was paraded through Geneva | to-day bearing the signatures of eight I million members of world-wide women's ( organisations in favour of disarma- j ment. Crowds cheered the women following the lorry.