For Disarmament

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 656, 7 May 1929, Page 9

For Disarmament

WORK OF REPARATION One More Preliminary Parley THERE will be only one more meeting of the Preparatory 1 Disarmament Commission for the Disarmament Conference. Then the conference proper will be called. Geneva delegates see new hope, following the Gibson proposals presented on behalf of America. (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service)

Reed. 9.5 a.m. GENEVA, Monday. STOVING an adjournment o£ the naval armaments discussion, to enable the Governments carefully to consider the Gibson proposals, Mr. N. Sato (Japan), paid tribute to Mr. Gibson for contributing so considerably to the acceleration of the task. Japan associated herself with Mr. Gibson's view that the essential object was not merely limitation, but also reduction of effective armaments. Lord Cushendun (Britain), supporting the adjournment, said he arrived three weeks ago not. feeling very hopeful. Now the situation was entirely changed. “I understand that the United States will communicate concrete proposals to the interested Powers. An exchange of views will then follow. Mr. Gibson’s new system of valuing ships may well solve our difficulties. We hope at the next Preparatory Commission that the naval Powers will announce an agreement.” Mr. Gibson, accepting the adjournment, agreed that the best hope of success was each country’s coming prepared to speak on the basis of its individual studies. It was abundantly clear that nothing could be more favourable than the present atmosphere. The adjournment was carried. M. Maxin Litvlnoff (Russia) used the meeting as a sounding-board for a vigorous attack on the harrenness of the commission’s achievements. He then announced with dignity that the Soviet would participate in the Disarmament Conference proper, and demanded its immediate convocation. The chairman, Jonkheer Dr. John Loudon (Netherlands), intimated that there would be only one more meeting of the Preparatory Commission before the full conference was called. VALUATION OF SHIPS BIG DIFFICULTY MAY BE SURMOUNTED TIME FOR CONSIDERATION British Official Wireless Reed. 11.52 a.m. RUGBY, Monday. Supporting the motion of Mr. N. Sato, the Japanese delegate, for an adjournment of consideration of tho naval question at the Preparatory Disarmament Committee at Geneva, Lord Cushendun. the British delegate, emphasised that the recent declaration

made by Mr. Hugh Gibson, the United States delegate, contained no definite proposals for agreement. But what was more useful, it suggested a method whereby, through careful study, a system of valuation of ships might be reached which, if successful, would surmount one of the chief difficulties. It was, however, continued Lord Cushendun, quite evident that the study and examination of what was in the mind of the United States Government could not be done in an hour, a day, or a week. Mr. Gibson, the United States delegate, said that tTp3 technical considerations involved must be studied from many angles. His Government, therefore,* felt that the course best calculated to lead to a successful conclusion of the committee’s labour was to give time for careful study of the whole question.