NO FAULTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 32, 7 February 1934, Page 7

NO FAULTS.

LABOUR SATISFIED. British Disarmament Note Silences Opposition. ENVOY TO CONTINENT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 12.00 p.m.) RUGBY, February 0. The British Government has arranged that as soon as the French political situation allows, Mr. Anthony Eden will proceed to Paris, Rome and Berlin to explain ' the British view on disarmament and to learn, by direct contact, the attitude of the other Governments to the new British memorandum. An announcement to this effect was made in the House of Commons to-day by Sir John Simon during the disarmament debate, which took place at the request of the Opposition.

The Labour party showed no desire to eensur'j the Government for its conduct of the recent negotiations, or for the substance of the new British memorandum, but -wished to enjoin upon the Government the importance of pursuing the policy elucidated in that document with the greatest possible vigour. Mr. Anthony Eden, replying to the debate, said that any action on behalf of Austria decided by the League Council must be joint and international. It was complained that the Government was not brave enough. Her task was to seek agreement for the maximum of disarmament obtainable. If the British proposals were accepted, it would be a considerable step in the direction of disarmament. The whole future of the policy of consultation and the existence of the League were at stake. The British proposals were the alternative to catastrophe. Unless the nations accepted the memorandum, or something very like it, there would be no convention. "We ask them to accept it," he said, "with the least delay. Only by an eleventh hour acceptance would the world gain the greatest benefit of statecraft, namely, greater confidence between the people."j