DISARMAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 124, 22 November 1932, Page 14

DISARMAMENT

CLEARING IHE.AVAY

WORK,OF THE CONFERENCE

HENDERSON'S OPTIMISM

That disappointment with the first phase of the Disarmament Conference is widespread has been made known to me in.various ways, writes Mr. Arthur Henderson,' president; of the Disarmament Conference, in. the "News-Chron-icle." " . ■ With those who-expected much more to'be accomplished and doubtless measure results Either' t>y:the strength of their convictions or-.by the expectations which, had been aroused by ceaseless propaganda, 1 have the fullest sympathy; but not so with those who have hurled their criticisms at the Conference and who have prematurely persuaded themselves that all is over-and that .the work of the various delegations ended in complete failure. It must be. said that many of those ■who have adopted - this attitude have failed to appreciate the difficulties which are inseparable- from, all International Conferences of a political character. ■.','•• During recent weeks,.the Press of the country,-iii dealing with the Conference at Ottawa, has provided the public with a most' convincing: illustration of this point 7. .--...... Eor-have.'we.Viiot been.told' day by day.of the.difficulties,-arid' that eventually, the Conference had" to be extended . for a 'few:, days in' the hope that agreement would be reached? And, on the'day on which the Conference should have closed the public were informed by the .Beaverbrobk daily that ''not only Free' Trade, but the future of British Conservatism is at stake at Ottawa." - This, it should be noted, is said of a Conference consisting only of a very limited number of delegations, speaking the same language and representing those families which comprise the British Common-wealth of Nations, and yet ojily a. "fair measure of. unity" was reached.. ■ MOKE COMPLEX. 'It is with.no desire to detract from' the-importance, of the work" at Ottawa that I claini. that the-"problem of the "World Conference at Geneva was much more complex." "Without any wish unduly to extol the results of our six months' effort, it is necessary to remind the critics of these things and to point Out that for sixty-fv-nr nations, .■with their varied interests, tjieir widely differing geographical positions, and ■the marked differences in tjeir land, naval,-and air services, to have remained together for so long a period is of , itself a cause for" encouragement, as it strikingly indicates the strength of their desire'to secure important disarmament, results. .'.'.. Moreover, -those who have heavily criticised -.the' Conference for' occupying six months for such comparatively ■—in their view—unimportant results should remember that delay for extended periods became inevitable owing1 to so many Governments changing during the-sittings of the Conference. A new Government did not always mean a change of delegation, but "in some. cases—especially in the case of France—it a new delegation after long delay. v Nor did. the dark shadow of the tragic situation, in the Far East, necessitating special meetings of the Coun- _ cil and the Assembly of the League of 'Nations, tend to expedite business. .■ WAY PEEPARED.. . Yet, despite these hindrances, "the period was not so barren of practical results as some would have the public believe. No, the position is not so discouraging, for-we have prepared the way for comprehensive and far-reaching measures of disarmament.^ But what of the future? First, it is necessary to make it clear that the Conference is definitely committed to action, as it has declared that the time has come when, all must adopt substantial and comprehensive measures of disarmament,'.and, guided by the- general' principles underlying Pref sident Hoover's declaration, it has also decided that a substantial reduction' of world armaments shall be effected, to ,be applied by. a-, general convention alike to land, naval, and air armaments/ . -'■ .. Such, then, is the programme to which attention must be given when the Bureau resumes its" labours. How the first decisive step to secure a substantial reduction is to be taken it is unnecessary for me to speculate. We hav,e three, very. definite principles to guide us:-:-' •■ -: _• (1) The..Simon-resolution on qualitative disarmament;': :. " ' . (2) The"coniprehensive set of proposals adumbrated to the General Com--4 mission by Mr. Gibson, head of the United States delegation; and .". (?)' The need for an advance on the principle of equality of status between the vanquished and victorious Powers. These .^three points, taken together, give us : the major objectives" at which the Conference must aim, and if agreement could be reached, effective measures of disarmament would follow immediately. These would include the abolition of certain aggressive weapons which would render it less .necessary for a peaceful nation to spend fabulous sums on strengthening ' its defensive machinery. Then the adoption of the Hoover proposals would mean a definite advance on the principle of quantitative disarmament, as applied to land and naval forces, thus bringing" the respective nations nearer to. the minimum required for policing and internal order. EQUALITY OF STATUS. ' "With regard to the1 third point, equality,of status," this will provide the Conference with its ■ most crucial and thorny question, for unless the vanquished nations of the war are expected to remain perpetually in a position of inferiority, it must bo recognised that any system of reduction that is agreed upon can only be complete if it is based upon equality of rights and duties." ■ ■ "Do not be discouraged" is my message to the friends of peace and disarmament in every country. • Much more than appears on the surface has been .done, for the way has been prepared by a stream of useful propaganda, that it is .now.almost universally felt-that real disarmament in view of the world's economic and financial crisis'" transcends every other question in the" sphere of "foreign politics. ■ • ...Indeed, as..President Hoover once declared, the Disarmament Conference in itself is an Economic Conference, and its success would,-be the greatest step toward world .recovery which it is in the power of the Governments to take. The Conference is moved by a spirit of ■ determination that results shall be secured, and if only, the public 'opinion" of the respective countries will continue to make it clear to the Governments that the peoples are ready for measures of disarmament, however drastic, and ready because the peoples believe that disarmament is an essential^condition to an abiding world peace, results will follow. ' • r

By ballot Tote members of the National Union of Bailwaymen in Britain have elected Mr. Frank Bailey to be secretary Oi- the approved Eociety section of 125,000 memoers, in succession to Mr. J H Thomas, M.P. Mr. Bailey has been mana-:'-'3v of the society for, eighteen years, and ..£ acting tecr'etary for five years.