DISARMAMENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 142, 8 February 1932, Page 5

DISARMAMENT

— By Teligraih-

FRENCH . PROPOSALS

INTERNATIONAL -PbLICE FORCE FOR- LEAGUE SUGGESTED RESTRICTIONS ON AIRCRAFT ! Fra'iice, 'at Geii'eva, hd$ made Uefihite , "proposals toir Hisarmahient*. Th'e scheme proposgs that hacli 'sigriat'ory pow'er shall coi|iribute heavy long raiige * artillery; vesseis exceedirig' lb,00d toii's' 6jr carryihg over 8in guns, hhd ^ulsiharine's exceeding a specIfihd ttinnagei" t° coristitiite an iiiterhatibhai 'poi ice force uiider the ' fcbritrol of ihe Lfeagii'e. Restrictibiis are suggeste'd iipbri the Con;struciion of ihilitary airi fci-iiftj and it is'further "suggested ihj.lt each' signatory shall contri'T bute its quota to an international force for tHe preventioh of war br for 'the assistance of the victirris of aggressiori.

(Press. Assn.-

-Copyr'ight).

V » - - -GENEVA, Saturday, M. Tardieu crehted a sehsation by circulating fki'-reaching proposals, ' thpreby scoring a sticcess, fbrestall- ' ing Sir John Siihons' ' speech. Thb suggesiibns are intended to * launch the con'ference proposals arid envisage iriaking of tKe Leagtre a super potver iri the' wbi'id'Abouiicils. ; ' A* •committe'd of the heads of the delegatipns will consider th'e suggestio|is, iyKi'ch eihanate fi;oril the Freri'ch Cabinet and l;he Frencii Natiorial Def erice* Couricil, which was set up as a prepafatory dlsabmament committee, Qf which Gbri'erals Petairi and Weygand were- iriciuded as menibers. The bi;oposals inc'lude a reduction of -Freiich airiiiamerits coriditional ojtt guararitees bf riatiorial security. ' It ■is i suggested - that signatory States only shall he allowed to con'strrict 'and usfe airtfraft bf a rion-niiiitkry 'character of iixed tonnage. Machines above this fixed figure are tb be employable orily ih : Gontine'ntal, interCoritinental and inter-Colonial oi-gan-isations under the auspices of the LeagUe, which alone may dispose of heavy bombers over a specified radius. Th;e construction of machines exceedin^ certain tonnage is forbidden, ancl only thbs'e States ■ pledgihg themselv.es to pla'ce itheir forices at the League's disposal for joint actibft to prevent or suppress wai* maydnclude machines *-bf a-;tonnage between the limits - riientioned- • but signhtories v/hich are the victims bf aggressive boriibai'dment may retaliatorily use ' all their ,air forces. International Force The plan sriggests placing at the League'S disposal, uhder- similar conditioiis, hedvy lorig rarig'e artillery, vesseis exceeding- 10,000 tons or carrying over 8ill grins ari'd subrtiarines exceeding a specified tonnage; Each signatory shall contribute its cuota to an international poliee -force to i prevent war or punitive troops to repress it, and assist tbe victims of ag-gression. :' The League will organise the control.of the:se forces. The political Measures which the plan necessitates are the accbptance of compulsdty arbitration; defirting aggression, and guaranteeing a rapid international decisibn in conformity with international law. The rules protecting civiiians includ'e the- prohibitiori of projectiles corit'aining pbison gas; bacteria, or in"cendiary materials, aerial or artillery bosnbardments beyond certain distan'ce of the front line, or coast. The proposal concluded: "This conference offers the greatest opportunity for a-definite choice between a League di.sposing of executive author- . ity or a League paralysed into intran-

? y sigency of pational soverei'gnty. ;France has made her choice and aslcs 'other nations to make -theirs. i'Lord Cecil in welcoming the prioposals . said they begin at the wrong ond. Let us hear what the Disarmament Conference has passed before dealing with precautions for security. Is -France ready to abandon all the weapons forbidden to the defeated powers?" - British circles generally approve of : soriiebouy presenting a concrete. plari affording tangible matter for th'e coh- • f erence. • * ■ • Gerriian, Italian arid American opinion, as so far expr ess'ed, is not veiy favorirable to the proposkl as . subttiitted'.1 " ' .