Disarmament

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21198, 23 June 1934, Page 12

Disarmament

The British Government has announced, according to the cable news this morning, that it will accept representation on the security committee of the Disarmament Conference on the clear understanding that Great Britain cannot be a party to any new regional security agreement. The decision is understandable, and will probably be popular in Great Britain and throughout the Empire. The British public is uncomfortably aware that by the Locarno treaties Great Britain is committed to uphold, by force if need be, a territorial settlement which is neither sensible nor just. Moreover, there is a feeling in the Dominions that by allowing herself to become too much entangled in the affairs of Europe Great Britain has compromised her position as an imperial power. And it can be said at once that if the purpose of the security committee's work is the conclusion of another and more elaborate Locarno, the British Government would be well advised to keep clear of the whole business. But there is at least a possibility, to judge by some of M. Barthou's statements, that the security committee will evolve a scheme not for fastening the peace treaties more securely upon the vanquished powers, but for collectively guaranteeing the enforcement of the prodisarmament convention and for strengthening the machinery for the peaceful settlement of international disputes provided in the Covenant of the League of Nations. Such a scheme could not be effective or acceptable to France unless Great Britain was a party to it and it is difficult to see that Great Britain has anything to gain by standing r.loof. Since she cannot hope to isolate herself from Europe, however much she may wish to, she might as well join in any measure which promises to promote European peace.