LEAGUE ASSEMBLY

Evening Star, Issue 22455, 28 September 1936, Page 9

LEAGUE ASSEMBLY

REDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS FRENCH DELEGATE SUPPORTS MR EDEN Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright GENEVA, September 26. In a speech at the Assembly generally supporting Mr Eden in deprecating conflicts between rival system.. as distinct from nations, tho French Foreign Minister (M. Delbos) justified the franc devaluation. He said that France wanted an economic as well as a political entente because they were inseparable links in the same chain. M. Delbos announced that France wished tho bureau of the Disarmamert Conference convoked and favoured control, limitation, and raducrion of armaments a abject to all nations agreeing that the first essential was a full disclosure of offensive and defensive arms expenditure. AUSTRIA'S FINANCES LEAGUE CONTROL TERMINATED. GENEVA, September 25. Mr S. M. Bruce (Australia) presented a report on the work of the Financial Committee, in which he expressed the opinion that tho League’s financial control of Austria might suitably bo terminated. Mr Bruce explained that the representatives of the States which guaranteed the loan to Austria in 1933-34 raised no objections to his proposals. Mr Bruce therefore, moved a resolution that the appointments of the League representative m Austria and of tho adviser to the Austrian National Bank should be terminated. This was unanimously adopted. AUSTRIA'S RECOVERY There is reason for regret as well as satisfaction in the ending of the League of Nations’ financial tutelage of Austria (says the ‘Spectator* of August 14). Di Rost van Tonningen, the League’s financial representative at Vienna, has decided that, owing to Austria’s financial recovery, his services are no longer necessary; revenues are satisfactory and increasing, unemployment falling, the public debt stable, an arrangement has been come to with the Creditors of the Credit Anstalt. Thus Austria, which since 1922 has been in need of the League’s advice and assistance, is now once more in a position to manage her own affairs. It is a real satisfaction to know that a country bankrupted by the war and the first to collapse at tho beginning of the depression, which has only barely been kept alive by repeated loans and credits, has now achieved recovery. It is less satisfactory to know that financial progress has so far had little effect upon standards of life; and that prosperity depends largely on her precarious relations with Italy and Germany. It is a pity, too, that prosperity should end the necessity for the League’s collaboration. Its financial services to Austria at any rate stand as a model for future international co-operation, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER'S ASSURANCES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 26. Received September 28, at 11 a.m.) The French Foreign Minister, in the League Assembly, referring to the policy of non-intervention, in reply to the speech of Senor Del Vayo, said France had not lightheartedly initiated that' policy. The Government had weighed the dangers of rival intervention in the furnishing of arms and the fatal consequences of inevitable incidents. Further, this initiative was approved by all countries, no matter what their regime, which were addressed by France. It was, proof that all had the same consciousness of peril, _ and also must have the same loyalty in observing engagements which they undertook. Referring to the proposed London conference of the Locarno Powers, he said the French Government was still ready to reach any agreement which would guarantee the security of all interested countries, excluding any ulterior motives of dominion or of encircling a nation or of ostracism, find which would contribute to the peace of Europe. Consultation had now commenced. He sincerely hoped that it would be completed by the co-operation of all States which were now absent from their deliberations. He was glad to note that the necessity of regional ententes was increasingly recognised.