GREAT BRITAIN AND ARMS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21124, 27 March 1934, Page 9

GREAT BRITAIN AND ARMS

FURTHER EFFORTS URGED ACCEPTANCE OF NEW OBLIGATIONS IMPLEMENTING SANCTIONS (BRITISU Oi-fIcIAL WIRELESS.) (Received March 26, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, March 24. The French note in reply to the British Government disarmament memorandum is engaging the closest attention of the British Ministers.

Speaking at Bradford, Mr R. A. Eden (Lord Privy Seal) said he could not even comment, but he urged that the public should not assume too hurriedly that all had failed. There might be other and less discouraging factors which did not appear on the surface. As long as there remained even a remote hope oi securing an agreement the Uoverimienl would persist in its attempt lo do so.

Although it was generally hoped that Uie French note would mark a greater advance toward agreement, the newspapers express the conviction that it .should not be allowed to bring the exchange of views to a close. "The Times'' savs:

"If a new .system of agreed limitation is U> take tiie place of unregulated competition, every signatory must be prepared to share tiic responsibility of maintaining it intact. "The sacrifice of tradition involved for Great. Britain would be considerable, but there can be no doubt that otherwise' no Continental regulation of military armaments is likely to be established. ''lt must, however, be the essence of any convention that every nation should be able to have its own defensive equipment m men and material. In a regulated system the numbers and amount will be agreed and known to all, and verifiable. "The gain to international confidence and common prosperity would be incalculable. No eifort must lie spared so long as there is the smallest hope that this splendid objective can be readied."

Liberal Altitude The "News-Chronicle" contemplates Great Britain's undertaking to implement sanctions against a breach in order to secure a convention. It says that such a convention, although imperfect, would at least secure a breathing space during, which conditions would not become stcaiiilv worse. The "Daily Herald" sa\s that if the British people are to accept new obligations it could only be in return for disarmament so considerable that it would of itself be a pledge both of peaceful purpose and honest intent. It would be out of the question to agree to enforce any convention which did not frankly fulfil the pledge given at Geneva in l ( Ji;2. Any obligations must be within the framework of the League of Nations. On these lines the newspaper conceives it possible for the British Government to discuss the questions asked in the French note. The "Morning Post" believes the Disarmament Conference is faced with a dilemma from which there is no escape, and urges the British Government to abandon further assumption of the initiative, which is foredoomed in advance.

The "Daily Telegraph" says that if Hi't-r Hitler would now dcfinituly pledge Germany to return to the league upon the conclusion of an armaments agreement it would do much to remove suspicions and enormously facilitate the further negotiations that must follow upon the French note.

GUARANTEES OF SECURITY PROBABLF LIMIT OF I BRITISH OFFER ' NEWSPAPER FORECAST i [ LONDON. March 25. The -Daily Telegraph" says the [Disarmament Committee of Cabinet will probably draft the series of questions to France, to-morrow, regarding her demands for fresh guarantees of security. Great Britain is not prepared to extend the existing guarantees under tin 1 Locarno Treaty of the frontiers between France and Germany and Belgian and Germany to other frontiers, or to acquiesce in automatic sanctions arising from an arbitrary definition of aggression, but is willing to consider practical suggestions for guarantees of strict observance of the proposed disarmament convention. The risks and sacrifices involved for Great Britain and the Empire by guaranteeing the convention would only be incurred in return for substantial offers of disarmament by other powers. Refusal by the major powers to scale down the strength of their air Hoots to the British level might be held to make a demand for British guarantees unjustifiable.