THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 September 1929, Page 5

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

ASSEMBLY ACTION. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) GENEVA Sept. 24. The Assembly adopted the report and resolution of the Disarmament Com-i mittee. Lord Cecil announced that Britain had decided to ratify the Arms Convention, dealing with traffic in arms. LEAGUE ASSEMBLY. LORD CECIL’S PROTEST. (British Official Wireless.) ,'Received this dav at 10.30. a.m.) RUGBY, September 25. Viscount Cecil expressed astonishment at the League Assembly at Geneva to-day, at a suggestion that lie was trying to diminish security. Ho said: “I am amazed that any member of this Assembly should think such a tiling. I should be the first to oppose such a course.' I have only cue thing in mind and that is peace. Peace is the greatest security. You can get peace only by a reduction of armaments and you cannot get a reduction of armaments without limitation of war material.” He announced that Great Britain intended to ratify the Convention on the private manufacture of arms and munitions. No country, he said, was anxious to pledge itself, until it saw that other countries will do the si: me. Lt was possible therefore that Great Britain might ratify the convention with a reservation demanding the signatures of other countries. On the broad question of disarmament, Lord Cecil said he realised that the Assembly for the time being could do nothing directly in this matter. It had appointed a Preparatory Commission and it was for that commission to take, positive steps and to draft a convention. Critics df his resolution had attributed varying motives to it. Some thought it was designed to postpone the work of disarmament and others that it was intended to. obstruct. Both charges were unjust and unfounded. He simply sought to emphasise certain general principles which, he believed to be of vast importance.

Lord Cecil repeated the points in his resolution, namely, the application of the same principles to a reduction and a limitation of personnel and material whether land, sea, or air; limitation of strength of forces, either by numbers or by period ,of trnining or both, and limitation of material.