ARMS CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1933, Page 5

ARMS CONFERENCE

MOVE BY BRITAIN PREPARATION OF PROPOSALS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, January 27. In order to facilitate the work of the Disarmament Conference at Geneva and to> give direction to discussions now proceeding in the Bureau of the 'Conference, th e British Government has drawn up a ■ programme of work designed to bring order out of the confusion which has resulted from the- production of plans by various Power*, and from the discussions in the Bureau regarding the control of disarmament, which has not yet been achieved. This in no s ense a new plan.

The British proposals- were presented in full detail at Geneva on November 17th. ]'t, however, has been strongly felt here that early and practical decisions should he taken by th. e Disarma. ment Conference, and with til’s in view, a comprehensive programme of work has been prepared for examination by the Bureau before th e General Commission completes-' its work next week, if it is found that there j.s general .agreement among th e great Powers in favour of *uch action. The programme invites the Bureau to disciis s security and disarmament simultaneously, and in a practical way, with the object of framing a convention or conventions embodying the decision*, *o fnr .as . they are ultimately approved. Such discussion would probably reveal general agreement on certain political aspect s of the question which has -been raised before trie C°nfe rence ; 311 these (political .matter* which still await final discussion and have a vital bearing on .questions of security are in the forefront of th e proposed programme.

In regal’d to disarmament trip, subjects .for consideration .are grouped under the heading* of effectives, la n d and war material, ai,r and naval forces. Th. e programme invites the Bureau to take definite decision with a minimum of delay in each of these fields. 'Special interest attaches to aerial disarmament and if the British programme of work i s adopted, the Bureau will be instruct-,, ed to constitute a committee of representatives of the principal air Powers to examine trie possibility of the entire abolition of military and naval machines, and of -bombing from the air, combined with effective •international control of civil aviation.

As a preliminary to th e decision to be ,taken by JiJbe. Corrjmitteg. of ( th,p f air Powers, the programme recommends that- fV Bureau .should at once, firstly, fix a maximum unladen weight for military and civil aircraft; ge cond]y ( decide as to the disposal of machines exceeding that limit; thirdly, fix the •numbers of machine? not 'exceeding the unladen weight limit which may be allowed jn each -State. As to the naval forces proposed, the programme is consistent with ‘the July resolution advising the five main naval Powers to undertake conversations.

Th e British programme of work .for the Disarmament .Conference has been Submitted bv the delegate. Captain Eden, to the United States, French, Italian, German and Japanese delegations, and also to Mr 'Arthur Henderson (president of th e Conference).

GERMANY’S CHANGED ATTITUDE.

BERLIN, January 27

Announcing Germany's return to the Disarmament Conference in the hope of designing a convention to ensure the security of all, General von Schleicher emphasised . th e point that Germany would never sign anything inconsistent with the .principle that no differentiation between the rights of victors .and vanquished- 'was permissable.

JAPAN WILL PARTICIPATE. (Received Jan. 30th. at 8.35 a.m.) TOPO, January 28. Speaking at a s memorial service for officers ana awn killed in the Shanghai outbreak a year ago, the Navy Minister, M. Osumi, stated that, in the event of Japan being forced to withdraw from the League of Nations by reason of hostile decisions, it would nevertheless be necessary for her to participate on the disarmament conf emcee, urging .thereat most important Japanese proposals in the interest of the world’s peace.