WORLD DISARMAMENT.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20773, 6 February 1933, Page 14

WORLD DISARMAMENT.

*, to m» BDIIOR o» THF. ,x*«. §' 1 Sir,—To-day is the first anniversary of the presentation of tliu world disarmament petition to the Disarmament Conference at Geneva. This event was | to the many millions of signatories ■ throughout the world (including more than 10,000 from this country) of prime Importance as expressing their heartfelt dciire for peace. It seemed to them that '.villi the conference representing ail the governments of the world, meeting for the one purpose of agreeing on measures of disarmament, and with a iff mandate from the peoples of the world, jpf largo reductions in armaments must *} necessarily and automatically follow. But, when wc Jook back at the record tl uf the conference wo find it one of unff relieved failure. The delegates early % dashed aside the magnificent proposals of Buasia and Turkey that they agree ij|i to world-wide total disarmament with- | in a period of four years, and became ■ s ; i! involved in a long and futile discus--1* mo nof defensive versus offensive wcat,' post, quotas, calibres, and similar ques~V tions of war technique. As many observer have stated, thb . true problem '?■ of disarmament was shelved and the 'f. conference wits side-tracked into a disiV *<■■«<])] ty the professional militarists Hicthor it was more desirable to bo L by a shell from a tank than by nb from an aeroplane, the outside world also there scema iiv« been little progress towards ♦'Thfl conference- opened,"

to quote the Russian delegate, '-'to the sound of bombs dropping from tho air in China," and that state has continued 'until the present. In South America much fighting has taken place, while in other countries thero has been a growth of war spirit and armaments. From this depressing story two conclusions may bo drawn. First, that tho disarmament problem is not a superficial one, that can bo solved by experts sitting in conference and discussing the relative merits of various weapons, but that it is a problem with its roots deep in our social system, and no mere pruning' at tho top will serve to ensure the peace of the world. Second, that the "common" people have not yet mado articulate enough their desire and demand for "no more war." There has coinc a call from tho international organisations with headquarters at Geneva asking that this anniversary of the presentation of the petition be commemorated bv tho signatories determining once more to bring pressure to bear so that their will to peace shall bo; translated into action bv the governments. What better lead could this country give to tlio nations than complete self-disarmament here and now I ? Yours, etc., L. A. MFI'OKIJ. February 5, 1933.