ARMAMENTS PROBLEM

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 16, 29 October 1932, Page 5

ARMAMENTS PROBLEM

THE ATTITUDE OF FRANCE. RELATION TO I.AND FORCES. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 1.50 p.m.) PARIS, October 28. The Premier (M. Herriot), in a statement in the Chamber of Deputies, said that France would accept a general organisation of reduced short-time service for metropolitan land armies, provided that all bodies not conforming therewith were disbanded, for example, the Reichswelir. She would agree to internationally regulated internal police forces, with the right of investigation under the European pacts for mutual assistance, nroyided the force was sufficient to suppress aggression; She would also accept compulsory arbitration of all disputes. The (United States should grant guarantees of security and members of the League of Nation’s should undertake to fight their obligations under Article 16 of the Covenant. He asked the Chamber to rectify the plan. The Geneva scheme presented no danger to France, who would rally round her old) friend if necessary. M. Herriot received an ovation an leaving the tribune. ATTACK ON MR MACDONALD. RETORT BY M. HERRIOT. (Received This Day, 2.10 p.m.) PARIS, October 28. M. Bouillon’s attack on Mr MacDonald, and M. Herriot’s retort, enlivened the debate on; disarmament In the Chamber of Deputies, in which general conscription and dissolution of the Reichswelir were disclosed on salient points in M. Herriot’s plan. M. Bouillon declared that he shuddered at the name of Mr MacDonald. France would be under the German yoke if it depended on Mr MacDonald alone. He had tried desperately in 1914 to prevent Britain taking part in continued political activities in wartime.

M. Herriot stigmatised M. Bouillon’s remarks as unjust and imprudent, tending to increase the difficulty of international negotiations if they were not contradicted. Replying to M. Blum, M. Herriot denied that General Weygand had delayed the disarmament plan. M. Blum advocated progressive disarmament as the only, means of preventing Germany re-arming and leading the race for armaments and eventually war. He added that the future of Europe for peace or Avar for decades was in M. Herriot’s hands, and he urged him to seize the last chance and take the ivord of Germany,, which, threatened to re-arm. only df general disarmament were refused. . M. Herriot reiterated his faith in the Locarno Pact and Britain’s signature to the document. M. Bcuillan asserted that ;M. Herriot should not propound a plan any more than M. Tardieu. Germany tvas not entitled to invoke Article V. of the Treaty, because .she had violated all her engagements. Britain and America Avere doing their best to strengthen Germany. France had been duped at Locarno and should not have been represented at Lausanne. Inquiries should be made regarding Germany’s armaments before negotiations Avere continued. M. Herriot said that the German rearmament plan originated Avitli General von Seeckt (Chief of the General Staff) and provided for an army of shock troops recruited from soldiers with six' years’ sevvice and supported by an army of all elements in the nation.