LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1927, Page 2

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

LEAGUE CONFERENCE. ] Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] GENEVA. April 13. Abandoning all hopes of an agreement oil the matter of naval disarmament, the. League Preparatory Committee have decided to adjourn on Thursday for a week, after which they will resume the task of drafting their report, setting out therein the points of the agreement and disagreement. Lord Cecil lias announced that Britain is willing to accept the French proposal for the limitation of naval and aerial eflectives. subject to an agreement by all parties and to a reservation that the decision regarding the British Dominions’ effectives should lie allowed to rest with tho Dominions. M. Rumour (France) lias abandoned tlie distinction as between borne and colonial tleets, wbicli Signor Dentarinis (ltalv) previously opposed. LONDON, April 13. Tlie “Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent says: “The British Government believes that progress ot naval disarmament will he achieved rather by the limited C’oolidge conference! than by mdlesx, largely-thcoreticnl and often insincere discussions in which the powers without navies would not hesitate to solemnly record their votes. Britain cannot he expected to sacrifice real possibilities to rhetorical abstractions and to prejudices of exclusively land powers.” WASHINGTON. April 13. There are pessimistic reports from Geneva that there is impending tho adjournment of the Preparatory Commission on disarmament with its reconventioii not until November, thus indicating that its work is on me verge of a collapse. I'he reports Ijavo met with a more optimistic reception here amongst the interested officials. It is pointed out the long recess would be helpful and would be the natural concomitant of the great activity and intensity of work ol its members dining March. It is believed the getting of the three-power naval conference in the interim would greatly aid the work of the commission upon the resumption of its sessions, since it is expected many questions of naval armaments will bo answered by tlie Threc-Powei Conference. The commission should therefore have the benefit ot such conclusions in arriving at an agreement towards the end of the year.