BRITAIN AND HER ARMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 848, 17 December 1929, Page 9

BRITAIN AND HER ARMS

QUESTION ASKED ABOUT COMMITMENTS POWERS OF PARLIAMENT Reed. Noon. LONDON, Monday. In the House of Commons Mr. Ayles, Labour asked the Prime Minister whether Britain had commitments to the League of Nations or the British Empire which prevented the House of Commons itself coming to any conclusion it desired on disarmament. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald replied that Article 8 of the Covenant of the League of Nations enjoined on member States, and consequently on the British Government, a reduction of their armaments to the lowest point consistent with national safety, and enforcement, by common action, of international obligations. Another article of the covenant imposed obligations to join in any action for the common enforcement of certain undertakings. Britain’s commitments, as regarded the British Empire, were dictated by the needs of self-defence. Mr. Ayles asked whether the Government believed there was still a margin so far as Britain’s own armaments were concerned that she could reduce down to what the Prime Minister had said was the level of national safety and if not why should she go into a disarmament conference. The Prime Minister replied: “It is because there may be that margin, discovered only by international agreement, that we are going into that conference.”