ARMS AND DEBTS.

Auckland Star, Issue 17, 21 January 1932, Page 7

ARMS AND DEBTS.

ISSUES JOINED. WORLJj) CONFERENCES. American Attitude Towards Europe. "WORK OUT ITS OWN PLAN". (United P.A.i-Electric Telegraph—Copy right) (Keeeived 0.00 a.m.) LONDON, January 20. Mr. Arthur Henderson, formerly foreign Secretary, and the leader of the Labour party, after lour months' illness, has work at the party headquarters. He intends to leave for Geneva at the end of the month to preside »at the Disarmament Conference. General CI. G. Dawes, the retiring United. States Ambassador to London, who has accepted the presidency of the new Reconstruction and Finance Corporation, will not head the American delegation t«i next month's Disarmament Conference q,t Geneva. The delegates will be led bv Mr. Hugh Gibson, United States -Ambassador, until the Secretary of State, Mr. JT. L. Stimson, proceeds to Geneva in a few weeks' time. A Washington message states that, with the announcement of the substitution of Mr.. H. L. Stimson for General C. G. Dawes, as the head of the American delegation to Geneva, on the eve of the delegation's departure, a ssmi-oflieial outline of tlu; American attitude toward reparations, especially as related to disarmament., was given to the Press. America's reply to European overtures seeking advice on war debts will be that Europe must work out its own plan. America's part at Geneva will be "silent though influential."

Since it believes that the questions there are primarily European, the United States 'will take 110 part in the negotiations ati Lausanne, but will carefully consider 1 any concrete plan proposed for furtl er postponing war debt payments or (other concrete arrangements to meet >the present emergency. It is intimated that the American Ambassador to; France, Mr. \V, E. Edge, has informed stlic French Premier, M. Laval, in replj to "feelers," that the United States considers each nation's debt on its m edits, ami does not believe the debt problem i* immediately pressing because no payments are due until December. 1.3. it is now authoritatively stated that it will be impossible for the Reparations Conference to ; begin on January 2o owing to the of M. Laval, Premier of Fraaice, having to await a vote of confidence on Thursday before deciding who sfiould participate. An authoritative statement regarding the Reparation** Conference is still awaited. . Meanwhile, exchanges continue between tiie various Governments concerned regarding the procedure to be adopted. i The British Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, will leave for Geneva on Saturday to attend a meeting of the League of Natiosis Council, which opens on Monday.