WILL IT BE PEACE ?

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 78, 3 April 1926, Page 9

WILL IT BE PEACE ?

ARMS AND NATIONS. COMING GENEVA MEETING. SWORDS OR PLOUGHSHARES? <By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, April 2. The disarmament policy of the British Government was outlined in the Housa of Commons to-day by the Under-Secre-tary of Foreign Affairs, Mr. G. T. Locker-Lampson. He said he regretted that Russia had declined to take part in the preparatory conference on disarmament. The Government was ready to assist whole-heartedly in any international steps which would lead to a general measure of disarmament. Viscount Cecil, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, would go to Geneva as Britain's representative, prepared to urge some definite scheme for disarmament, but it would probably be more appropriate for some great military Power to take the initiative at Geneva in regard to military disarmament. It was unfortunate that similar restrictions did not apply to submarines, as were applied to other warships under tbe Washington Treaty. The Government would do its best to carry further the principles laid down at Washington. It was anxious to co-operate in any peneral scheme of military limitation. It would welcome any scheme for a reduction or limitation of air forces, which would result in the establishment of a measure of equality between the air force of Britain and that of any other country.— (Reuter.)

PERSONNEL OF COUNCIL.

BERLIN, April 2. The German Cabinet has unanimously decided to co-operate with the committee which was appointed at Geneva to inquire into the composition of the Council of the League of Nations.— (A. and N.Z.)