A CHALLENGE

Hokitika Guardian, 25 March 1933, Page 5

A CHALLENGE

TO MR MACDONALD

OUTCOME OF EUROPEAN VISIT.

(United Press Association—By Electric

Telegraph—Copyright.)

LONDON, Alarch, 24

In the House of Commons, Mr D. Grenfell (Labour) said that ho was aprehensive that Air MacDonald’s armament figures were much too high, they offered little hope of considerable disarmament within five years. Sir A. Sinclair, for the National Liberals, paid tribute to the Government s efforts to restore a, good understanding among nations irrespective of their form,' of Government, they must concede Air AlacDonald’s work abroad had wrought a beneficient change.

Mr W. Churchill questioned the wisdom of inviting France to accept Mr AlacDonald’s latest plan. France must b 6 greatly concerned at the. events in Germany, he said, and at Germany’s attitude towards her other neighbours. When he saw the tumultuous German insurgence and ferocity of the Wal’ spirit, the ptiless ill-treatment of minorities purely on the ground of nice, all this in one of the most gifted) scientific and formidable nations, it was hardly the moment to ask France to halve her army while Germany doubled her army, or ask France to halve her air force. Germany and I taly together would . have a larger army than France. Air MacDonald’s intervention had brought us near to war. It bad made us weaker and more defenceless. Cries of “No!” and “AVithdraw!”

Captain Eden, replying, sajd 'Mr MacDonald and Sir J. Simon received encouragement and constructive criticism from every party except Air Churchill. It was surely worth while to give a new method, basing policy on disarmament, a trial in order to avoid a system which led to 1914. If they could obtain Italy’s assistance in securing the co-operation of France and Germany, it. would be la step forward. (Cheers).

It was untrue to say we were asking France to halve her army while Germany doubled hers. The convention asked Germany to change the military organisation of her professional army imposed on her at Versailles to a short term militia, similar to other nations, which condition France' had repeatedly demanded. The convention provided for a generous measure of disarmament, and it provided a just and reasonable five years’ settlement. Any scheme, entered into must be ratified by Parliament.,