U.S.A. PROPOSALS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1929, Page 7

U.S.A. PROPOSALS

LOPD CUSHENDUN’S COMMENT.

A VERY FAVORABLE VIEW

vßritish Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, April 22

Replying at Geneva to a statement made by Air Gibson (United States delegate), Lord Cushendun (British delegate) said while it was impossible to deal adequately at this moment with the declaration, it struck him as being so important that he would make one or two observati ;ns upon it with,ut delay. No one could ‘ail to have i.o. n struck with the friendly, coniiiatory and helpful spirit of tbe declaration, and be would say it was ii mat spirit the British Government als.esired to approach this very compliated and difficult question. As fai as any general principle was concern'd, tlierj was nothing Mr Gibson had said with which lie could not express agreement.

He welcomed, particularly, the allusion to the Kellogg Pact, especially as having had the personal privilege of signing that great instrument, on behalf of the British Government. In regard to Air Gibson’s statement that in naval matters United States deuired not only limitation but reduction. That was also the desire of til© British Government, which like United States, de-

sired them to be applied to all classes of vessels. “If in some negotiations, we have provisionally, at all events, consented to a scheme reduction which .ei't any classes of vessels outside, that was not because we considered that the ideal solution of the problem, but merely because in the interests of agreement we were willing to forego some part of our ideal in order to get an agreement upon others.”

He reminded the commission that 12 months ago he had publicly estimated that the British Government would be glad to see a further reduction of those categories covered by the AVasliington Agreement and also a prolongation of their life. The British Government had also intimated its readiness, if it h colleagues would agree, to the total abolition q ? submarines. Therefore the British Government had already shown a willingness to carry further the principle of reduction of which the foundation was tentatively laid, and were anxious to promote it to the fullest possible extent. A very important matter laid down by Mr Gibson was'-that of arriving at some system of equivalent values, based upon other factors besides tonnage, such as speed. He entirely agreed that along those lines the problem ought to be solved. He thought the British -•overnment had also to some extent been investigating the possibility of arriving at an equivalent of values, taking into account the other factors besides tonnage, but obviously this was a matter which was extremely technical and which the British Government would only examine in conjunction with expert advice. He, however, was quite certain that any suggestions of the sort by United States and any information as to their study on this subject would he most carefully, and in a friendly spirit considered by the British Government. He could not, of course, commit his Government in a Tty way to the result t-nat might follow from that examination, but he certainly welcomed the whole spirit of Air Gibson’s statement, which had such a close bearing upon the whole naval question, but that ,t must profoundly affect the work of disarmament.