ARMAMENT RACE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1929, Page 6

ARMAMENT RACE

BRITISH PARTY LEADERS

(JIVE VARIOUS VIEWS,

(United Press Association—Bj Electric Telegraph—Copyright). LONDON, May 16. Messrs Baldwin, MacDonald, and Lloyd George have replied to the Disarmament Manifesto Committee’s communication, which is. signed by the Marquess of Aberdeen, Lord Ballour, Lady Oxford and Asquith, Mr Bernard Shaw, Mr- 11. G. Wells, Mr Wickham Stead, and denominational leaders. The Committee emphasises the fact that it learns that there is a resumption of the armament competition, and it urges early and decisive disarmament measures, in which Britain should lead, by accepting the principle of tho freedom of the seas, except in a case recognised by the Government and by the League of Nations as that of an aggressor. IBA LDWIN NON-COM MIT’AL. i , ■ Mr Baldwin, in his reply has pointed but that Britain would accept any scheme of land disarmament upon which the Continental powers were agreed. -Britain’ already had suggested a nival-reduction-to other powers, and had reduced its navy by 46,000 men, compared with the standard in 101 • • had reduced its warships from seven hundred to four hundred, and its naval tonnage from 2t- to 1J- million. America, Japan, and Italy had increased their naval strength. The British Army had been reduced by two hundred and fifty thousand men, to four hundred and seventy thousand. The navy, army and air force aggregated 269,000 less than in 1914. The cost of the army .services was four million less, than in 1914. America, Italy, -Germany,France, and Russia, he said, were spending from five to forty millions more than in 1914. *■’ ■ ■ ". . : ■ 'Mr Baldwin also said that his Ministry was spending £7,500,000 less than the MacDonald Government, spent. Britain under the Kellogg Pac£, had already undertaken to settle all disputes peacefully., ; • -. i LABOUR SEES THE WAY. In his reply, Air Ramsay MacDonald (Leader of tbe Labour Party) said that he believed that a complete AngloAmerican agreement on the freedom of the seas was attainable immediately. LIBERAL LEADER HESITANT’. Mr Lloyd George replied that be supported definitely the reduction of armaments, but that he thought the phrase “the freedom of tlie seris ” should be more closely defined’before making any statement thereon.