"DEPLORABLE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 134, 8 June 1934, Page 7

"DEPLORABLE."

FRENCH ATTITUDE.

PRIMATE SPEAKS OUT.

Disarmament Policy Roundly

Condemned.

PERPETUATING ENMITY,

(United P.A.—jilectric Telegraph-Copyright)

(Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, June 7

Supporting the motion of the Bishop of London, Dr. Winnington Ingram, in favour of the Church aiding the League in promoting the principles of international justice, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Cosmo Gordon Lang, speaking in the Upper House of Convocation of Canterbury, criticised the French attitude towards' disarmament. The Archbishop said M. Barthou's attitude, after every allowance was made for the apprehensions of a nation twice invaded, was deplorable. It was elementary statesmanship to recognise that France's real risk was tho perpetuation of enmity with Germany. If France continued contemptuously to reject Germany's reasonable proposals the risk must be deepened. Tho best way to avoid it was to do everything to prevent Germany doing what she undoubtedly would do if disarmament failed, namely, arming herself in correspondence with France's continued suspicion. The motion was carried.

AMERICA'S NAVY.

;new building programme,

WASHINGTON, June 7.

The Secretary of tlie Navy, Mr. Claude A. Swanson, has signed contracts for the. 1934-35 naval building programme. This consists of four 10,000ton cruisers, 14 destroyers and six submarines, at a cost of about 170,000,000 dollars.

INTOLERANI FRANCE.

ARMS CONFERENCE

LONDON, June 2.

Only a miracle can now save the Disarmament Conference, says the Geneva correspondent of "The Times." The brilliance but imprudence of the French Foreign Minister, M. Barthou, has closed the door to every compromise which the British regarded as the only practicable basis of agreement.

The Anglo-French cleavage remains complete. The British "feel that the irreconcilable Anglo-French conflict should be recognised. M. Barthou's most damaging sally, namely, "War is Prussia's national industry," was expunged from the shorthand notes of his speech.

"There is a conviction in Britain," says "The Times," in a leading article, "that relations between France and Germany must eventually be settled on the basis of equality. France thinks that the Hitler regime will not last much longer, but even supposing that js correct, is it likely that the succeeding regime would be- to the advantage of France or Europe 1"