SOVIET RUSSIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 November 1927, Page 2

SOVIET RUSSIA.

LITVTNOFF’S DECLARATION. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association. AIOSCOAV, Nov. 21. LitvinofF, in a statement on the Soviet’s purpose in sending a delegation to Geneva, declares: “The Soviet has not hidden its lack of confidence in the capitalist countries’ readiness to abolish wars and to disarm, despite pacifists and pseudo-pacifists labelling the late world war as “ the last war.” The League pretends its main object is to ensure peace. It did not approach disarmament until 1924, and then deferred a convocation of the conference till 1925, and even now the date of the Conference cannot be fixed. Similarly the League has been studying a reduction of- war budgets since 1920. when it was postponed sine die. The LeagivPS work lias solely resulted in meaningless declaration and propositions. Meanwhile the Soviet exerted ten years’ efforts at least to partial disarmament. The delegation now being sent to Geneva deprives enemies of an opportunity of ascribing to the Soviet the failure of the conference and prevents the Soviet’s neighbours justifying their refusal to disarm. The Soviet was free from imperialists and pursues consistently a peaceful policy. It has proposed and now proposes universal pacts of non-aggression, urging full and general disarmament. If this is impossible at one stroke, or within a short period, it should at least be attempted gradually. The delegation goes to Geneva with an independent programme, and will endeavour to concentrate attention on a stable guarantee for peace, and will oppose diversion to questions of secondary importance, or futile resolutions making the conference a tool of this or that group of states.