ON ARMS ISSUE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 699, 27 November 1933, Page 5

ON ARMS ISSUE

(British OfEcial Wireless.)

SIR JOIIN SIMON STATES THE CASE FOR THE GOVERNMENT W(KAT ADJOURNMENT MEANS

Rugby, Nov. 24. The disarmament situation was reviewed in a speech in the House of Commons by Sir John Simon, who summed up the British policy in the following sentences : — - Firstly — ithe adjournment of the conference did not mean the adjournment of the work for disarmament — it meant the opposite. The British' Government intended that this period of suspension should be devoted, without delay and without intermission, to the exchange of views between the individual Governments in order to prepare the iground on which the qonfjerence could resuime its work, the basis of which had been •so fatally interfered with by Germany's withdrawal. Secondly— 'How those exchanges of view could hest be carried on must depend on circumstances. The Brit-

ish Goviernment considered those exchanges, should be conducted through diplomatic chaunels in the form of bi-lateral conversations. Germany's Desire for Peace Thirdly — (Britain welcomed the assurance of Herr Hitler that Germany's desire is for peace, that she has no aggressive designs. Fourthly — Britain held that Germany also has her contribution to make in order to render general disarmament possible in practice, and Britain hopes as the outcome of the exchange of views which are now going to be undertaken, it will be found possible to translate those assurances into such concrete shape as will help to build up that international security which is an indispensable condition to disarmament. The view had been expressed that the conference should go on as if nothing had happened with a view to framing an agreed convention, which should then he tendered to the absentee or absentees with the invitation or demand that they should sign it. Apart from the practicability of that procedure, which' would only he carried out if they were reasonably sure they were going to get every State in agjreementfc, he questioned the wisdom of such procedure and could imagine nothing more likely to drive iron intO' Germany's soul than to suggest that Germany's withdrawal made no difference, and for the i*est to formulate a document and request Germany to sign on a dotted line.

A General Agreement The object was to bring about a general agreement and the only way to reaeh it was by negotiation, not ,by a method of shots at long range. Germany was not a target for dietation. She was a partner in the discussion. In recent weeks a number of tentative suggestions had arisen on the German side. Sir John Simon referred to a speech by Herr Hitler before the elections, ,and to the more recent interview with him in a great French newspaper, which caTled for m'ost considered examination by all seeking peace and reeonciliation. He wish'ed to acknowledge that Italy had made a most valuable contribution towards an agreement. There had been some very .strongly phrased declarations made by the head of the Italian Government, but the Italian Government had authorised their representatives to explain that Italy was not seeking to avoid but to continue the good

work of th'e conference and was anxious to co-operate with the rest. In the same way it was made clear that the French Government would not assame a rigid position. Friendly Co-operation

By good feeling, good sienso, and complete friendly co-operatioh there had been unanimity on procedure which was an essential preliminary to an agreemtnt on substance. The Government had made it plain to the French Government th'at if they could see their way to enter into closer communication with the German Government they would have Britain's complete goodwill in so doing. They had indicated to the German Government that the whole of Britain's influence would he used in trying to bring about a spirit of negotiation and co-operative action, inistead of keeping Germany at a disCaptain R. A. Eden said the disarmament situation was such that greater energy1 than ever must he exerted to carry through the work.of the conference. Support of the League was to-diay — and he trusted would always ihe— Ithe cardinal feature of British foreign policy.