DISARMAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1922, Page 5

DISARMAMENT.

SOUTH AMERICA’S LEAD. AGREEMENT EXPECTED. CONFERENCE TO BE HELD. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Sept. 28, 5.5 p.m. Geneva, Sept. 27. The disarmament report has been adopted iby the League of Nations. According to speeches made in the Assembly to-day the Pan-American Congress proposed to be held at Santiago next March will be more in American interests. Senor Rivas Vicuna, the Chilian delegate, in the course of the debate on disarmament, stated that Chile placed disarmament on the agenda of the Santiago Congress, but he explained that Chile was not seeking to dissociate herself from the League’s efforts in the same direction. On the contrary he hoped it might facilitate the work of the League. He was convinced that when the League met at Geneva next year the Pan-American States would !be able to announce the conclusion of an agreement in regard to disarmament in North and South America, thereby establishing a durable peace in the American continent generally. It is believed at Geneva that the first regional disarmament will be established in America under an American league of nations, which may appoint delega lions to Geneva next year, thus linking up the American and British leagues of nations in a world-wide movement, and preserving America’s amour propre in anticipation of some such development. The Spanish delegate to-day introduced a motion providing for co-opcra-tion between the League of Nations and the Santiago conference. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

DEBATE ON SCHEME. SIR JOSEPH COOK’S VIEWS. Geneva. Sept. 27. Sir Joseph Cook said he did not want to throw cold water on the efforts of the Disarmament Committee, nevertheless he was not satisfied. It seemed to be assumed that material disarmament was dependent on moral disarmament. That policy would not help the financial problem of exchanges, etc. If no better progress were possible than the disarmament reports proposed, disarmament was far away. It would take ten years before anything substantial was done under the present proposals. Though progress was slow, he hoped it would be correspondingly sure. He praised Lord Robert Cecil’s work, but vigorous and prompt action was needed. Disarmament was the very crux of the League’s existence. If it failed in this it -would fail in the principles constituting the very reason for its existence. He admitted* the outlook was not clear, but they must go forward with greater energy and determination. He was disappointed by the Italian and French speakers, who seemed disposed to make the economic situation the supreme question of the moment. He was afraid it was generally nbt recognised that the Allies had handicapped themselves against their former enemies by disarming the latter, who were thereby unduly favored in the economic struggle. If the Allies con- ! tinned to carry the burden of armaments they would handicap themselves. Disarming Germany had relieved her of that burden, while we still carried ours, thereby giving Germany a, tremendous economic advantage. Before the war Germany on the average had a million conscripted men who were now released for industry and the i taxpayer correspondingly relieved. By the time we had voluntarily disarmed I under these proposals Germany would ■have achieved enormous progress .industrially and it would be difficult for us to overtake her. If half our economic competitors were relieved of armament burdens while we staggered under them the former must achieve the leading industrial position, therefore the greater obligation upon us urgently to address ourselves to this task.