THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1929, Page 5

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

TARIFF CONVENTION

NEW COUNTRIES NOT AFFECTED

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) GENEVA.,.'Sept. 20. .Australian and Irish Free State representatives attended a meeting of the Drafting Committee, which lasted for seven hours, in.-order to ensure that’ the interests of new countries should not be prejudiced by the final form given to the Anglo-Belgian proposal for a two years’ tariff holiday. Mr MacDougall (Australia) states • h i t.bo motion lia-s be.cn considerably modified, and it now nowise implicates in the proposition that mainly is intended for Europe, those countries like Australia and Ireland that are in need of protection for their young industries, or"that need to impose a tariff for revenue purposes. LAND ARMAMENTS. . THE BRITISH PROPOSAL. GENEVA, Sept. 20. Interest to-day is centred on the Third Committee’s debate on Lord Cecil’s land disarmament motion, which has .been very, bitterly opposed by some of the Continental delegates, chiefly those of France. Sir ; George Foster (Canada) strongly supported the motion. He pointed out that if the motion wore defeated, it would appear to the world that they were perfectly satisfied with the work of the Preparatory Committee j on Disarmament, which most obviously was nob keeping pace with, the sentiment of the world in favour of the real reduction of armaments.

SMALL COUNTRIES APPROVE. GENEVA, Sept. 20 Nearly all of the small countries simported Lord (Coil’s (lisaimminent resolution in to-day’s ■ debate. The result will .probably: be an even vote. Lord Cecil,'.in a statement to the press, said that he intends maintaining his position. A COMPROMISE. LORD CECIL SATISFIED. GENEVA’,■. September 21. The debate in Third Commission lias ended in a compromise, Lord Cecil withdrawing his motion in favour ct one advanced by MT.Politis, with which Lord Cecil is satisfied. The British view' is that Britain’s new disarmament .push has served a valuable purpose, and is by no means the failure which the emasculation of the original resolution suggests. Lord Cecil believed that he could actually have ! obtained-’ av small majority if he had pressed his motion to a division. He would /have received the support of all of the British Dominions, the Scandinavian countries, and the ex-enemy countries, as against the Little Entente, led by France j but a narrow victory would not really have helped the cause of disarmament, and it might have embittered the feeling, and have led to obstruction later. The new British efforts have focussed attention anew on the peoples’ general dissatisfaction at the lack of -progress towards a real reduction of armaments and of war material.

. CANADA SIGNS CLAUSE. OTTAWA, September 21. The Department of External Affairs announced to-day that the Canadian signature of the Optional Clause at The Hague International Court at Geneva was subject to ratification by the Dominion parliament.