SPEEDING UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 25, 31 January 1933, Page 7

SPEEDING UP.

DISARMAMENT ISSUE.

Commission May Be Delayed By European Crises. BRITISH SUGGESTIONS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, January 30. The bureau of the World Disarmament Conference met at Geneva to prepare for the meeting of the General Commission on Tuesday. Press messages suggest that provision is being made to obviate delay resulting from the week-end political crises in France and Germany.

M. Daladier (the Radical Socialist), who is entrusted by President Lebrun with the task of forming a new French Government, hopes, according to Paris telegrams, to complete his Cabinet late to-night. If, owing to the absence of a French delegate the discussion of the French plan cannot be begun, as arranged, at Thursday's meeting, the commission will consider minor affairs pending his arrival.

The programme of work put forward by Britain to facilitate the progress of the conference and to speed up practical decisions will come before the commission at an early date, and it is hoped that the proposal, which is not a new or rival "plan," but aim only at co-ordinat-ing the results of many months' discussions and accelerating agreement, will secure general support. Discussion Under Two Heads. It is suggested that the discussion be divided into two* main heads, political questions which have a bearing on security and purely disarmament questions. Political questions cover general principles and it is suggested that it should be the aim of the bureau to submit to the general committee, which meets on February 2, a convention giving effect to them. " These general principles are: — Firstly, an affirmation by. the European Powers that they would in no case resort to force.

Secondly, the Continental European States should seek to work out regional security agreements.

Thirdly, the application of the principle that limitations on armaments of defeated States be contained in the same disarmament convention as that which defines the limitation on the armaments of others and shall replace part five of the Treaty of Versailles, which limits Germany's arms and armed forces.

Fourthly, the convention to last for the same period and be subject to the same measure of revision to all signatories.

Fifthly, the embodiment in the convention, as regards war material, of the principle of qualitative equality, and the provision for the realisation of such equality, if not immediately after its entry into force, then by specified stages. Continental States should consider the reduction of their armies to a uniform short service.