AT GENEVA

Hokitika Guardian, 29 April 1929, Page 6

AT GENEVA

CONFLICT OVER MILITARY

RESERVISTS

'United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).

GENEVA, ApVil 27

The Preparatory Disarmament Commission is faced with a new conflict of viewpoints. Count Bernstorfl has asked for leave to consider overnight Mr Gibson’s new concession from America of not insisting on the inclusion of tainod reserves in the peace time effective forces. The United States’ delegate in this regard made an important statement on the military question when he pointed out that United States had always maintained trained reserves should be included in peace time armaments He urged delegates to make all possible concessions and freely place their cards on the table, not to adopt a spirit of bargaining, which would lead to months of negotiations.

M. Massioli (France) approved of Mr Gibson’s view, and said that France was ready to comply by placing her cards on the table.

Viscount Sato said that Japan was ready to make all possible concessions.

Count Benistorff (German Delegate) to-day insited that trained reservists were of primary interest to Germany. He was sure that a method could he discovered whereby they could be taken into account if everybody made concession ; whereas otherwise, important elements employable iii war time would be ignored Germany was unable to maintain reservists under the conditions imposed on her. She was willing to abandon her insistence on the abolition of conscription, but she must insist that the reservists should he estimated, not numerically, hut on the basis of their value. g

Mr Gibson (U.S.A.) in reference to the wishes of a majority of the continental Powers, announced that lie would not insist on the United States reservation favouring the inclusion of the. reservists were eventually found to lie impossible, the Dutch delegation must ask leave to withdraw. Therefore lie was glad that the present com-' mittco’s decision was not final.

A!. Litvinoff (Russia) also expressed Ills regret at the exclusion, and said that his (iovermnent would accept any agreement for a reduction in all of the categories of armaments, active or reserve. conditionally on the same reduction being applicable in a similar degree to other countries. The Conference. he said, by openly admitting the exclusion of Iglie (rained reserves, would not he aide to solve the d!-,armament problem. 'Lord C'lishendiin (Jiritain) was of the opinion that the Committee should ini hide the trained reserves in the figures, hut he was pepared in the interest of the success of the Committee’s work to agree to the views of the majority. Any other course would he fatal. Count Bernstorff’s sugestion he said, would hi l impractienme. Then* was no conscription in Brila*in.

The Chinese delegate delivered a long address, urging the committee to expedition. He declared that no real disarmament was possible under conscription. lie urged the suppression of conscription.

The Commission is not expected to accept this. Tlie commission adopted a French amendment elaborating the original convention and enabling the signatories to indicate separately the number ol aeroplanes, dirigibles, aircraft carriers at Home or. overseas, also the number of aeroplanes organised for military bases n.t TTome and abroad. The British and Japanese delegations have received instructions to ensure that a special effort ho made at the presold session to agree In future Naval Disarmament Conference, probably at Washington in 1030.