DISARMAMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 2 December 1927, Page 5

DISARMAMENT

NEW COMMITTEE APPROVED PRESS COMMENT ON SOVIET PROPOSALS. LORD CUSHENDUN’S SPEECH. (Received 2, 12.30 pm.) [British Official Wirelesß.l Rugby, Dec. i. The new committee on arbitration and security was agreed to by the Preparatory Commission of tho Disarmament Conference at Geneva yesterday. The committee will consist of all the countries represented on the Commission with the exception of Russia, who will send an observer, and the United States, who is considering whether to send an observer. Since the committee will deal with the interpretation of certain clauses in the League Covenant, which America has not signed, her participation was not expected but the American delegate. Mr, Hugh Wilson, stated that although his Government must leave to the European states those matters which particularly concerned them in another part of the world the lUnited States had signed with Great Britain. France and Japan what really amounted to a, security pact, BRITISH PRESS NOT IMPRESSED The British press, in commenting on Litvinoff’s proposals (appearing on page 6) is unimpressed bv 'their practicability and dubious about their intentions. It is the general view of newspapers that if practical results are to lie attained it will only be through technical consideration of the problem in a scientific spirit and with due regard to international engagements and the responsibilities of the states. The idea that abolition of all arms necessarily means peace is discounted and It is maintained thht reduction of armaments must necessarily be achieved by progressive and agreed stages, NO CHANGE LN POLICY. Lord Cushendun. speaking at today’s meeting of the new committee on arbitration and security at

Geneva, referred to the fact that he succeeded Viscount Cecil 8s British representative to the I league of Nations. He said that this change in no way implied a change of British policy, which] continued to be that Britain would I

do her best to promote the causes of disarmament, arbitration and security. There was one word which he would have avoided had he been in the place of some of the earlier speakers—that was the word “Protocol.” He made it clear that Great Britain could not again revert to a discussion of the ideas embodied in the Protocol. Regarding arbitration Lord Cushendun pointed out that Great Britain had practical arbitration for the last 50 years—long before the organisation of the League—in the settlement of international disputes. He proposed that members of the tommittee, or properly appointed sub-Ccnimittees. should bring before the committee definite and practicable proposals for arbitration rather than vague resolutions. Great Britain, he assured the committee, was fls anxious ns any country to arrive at real results.

BRITAIN’S EFFORT TOWARDS REDUCTION. The Hon. W. C. Bridgeman. First Lord of the Admiralty sneaking in London, said he resented the tone of people who said we were eannlly to

blame with other parties for the failure of the Geneva naval disarmament, America lie declared, never would say what size they were going to build within their 450,000 tofts and that wa,s "'hy was impossible to

agree. Mr. Bridgeman added that he did not think it was possible lor Britain to have given way on the strongest principle which she held, that future cruisers should be a defensive and Hot an offensive weapon. Air. Bridgeman gave the following figures of the fighting fleet: — 1914. Warships 704 Tonnage 2,694,000 1927. Warships 395 Tonnage 1,440,000 “No one can say that this country nas not made an effort towards reduction of armaments,” he remarked, [The details of Litvinoff’s proposals will be found on page 6.]