DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 260, 3 August 1928, Page 11

DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE

WILL SUMMONING BE ACCELERATED? AS RESULT OF ANGLO-FRENCH AGREEMENT ■ ■ ■' ( COMPROMISE A GAIN FOR THE CAUSE OF PEACE League circles at Geneva hope that the Anglo-French agreement will accelerate the summoning of a Disarmament Conference. The compromise is considered a gain for the cause of peace at least as important in the field of practical politics as the Kellogg Pact. United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (Australian Press Association.)

(Rec. August 2, 7.5 p.m.) London, August 2. Dispatches from Geneva suggest that there are high hopes iu League circles that the Anglo-French agreement will accelerate the summoning of a Disarmament Conference. The impression exists that some of the smaller European Powers at the September assembly will insist on the earliest convocation of the Disarmament Commission to complete proposals in time for consideration by January, the council to pave the way for an international conference in 1029. ■ Official circles are inclined to discourage too optimistic expectations from the successful results of the Anglo-French conversations, pointing out that the pair have merely agreed to a proposition to submit to other Powers, /it certainly will be a useful achievement for guiding naval discussionsjnto a nearer channel of categories instead of bulk tonnage, and regarding this it gets back to the Washington starting point and gives a more hopeful prospect of progress, but rather in the direction of limitation than disarmament in the wider sense.

The first quasi-official generalised description of the Anglo-French compromise emanates from the Quai d’Orsay: “Each Power is disclosing its building plans under 10,000 tons, such ns for light cruisers, destroyers and submarines, so that each may have reciprocal control.” This removes the chief obstacle to a Geneva Disarmament Conference. BASIS OF AGREEMENT CONTROL OF ARMAMENTS (“Times” Cables.) (Rec. August 2, 7.5 p.m.) London, August 2. The Paris correspondent ' of “The Times” says it is understood that the naval agreement is based on the Control of the armament. France is ready to undertake to arm ships in such a manner as will render them useful only defensively, not offensively. Such a compromise has satisfied public opinion that France’s necessities for coastal defence have been considered and protected, and that communications with the North African colonies are assured. The League is largely responsible for the compromise,’ which is considered a gain for the cause of peace, at least as important in the field of practical politics as the Kellogg Pact. Naval policy since the war has been the principal obstacle iu the way of a real understanding between France and Britain. The present agreement removes the great part of the causes preventing disarmament and pacification. Both Governments have made "'concessions with loyalty and goodwill. It was to France’s highest interest that the British Empire should be secure and prosperous, and Britain’s that France should be strong at sea.

HOPE IN WASHINGTON THAT LEAGUE WILL CALL CONFERENCE AND THAT RUSSIA WILL BE REPRESENTED (Australian Press Association.) (Rec. August 2, 8.15 p.m.) . Washington, August 2. Government circles expressed t the hope that the League of Nations, after a decade of hesitation, would call a world-wide disarmament conference, following a study of dispatches concerning the British and French tonnage compromise, to comprise virtually every nation, including the United States, and that Russia would be represented in the contemplated conference. It is said that arrangements for a meeting would be made by the League’s Preparatory Disarmament Commission, which for several years lias struggled with the task of preparing an agenda. One of the foremost obstacles the Commission has been unable to overcome so fnr has been a dispute whether naval ships bo limited on the basis of class or tonnage. Another controversy preventing progress has been the contention of several Powers that the countries’ potential resources should be considered potential armaments in any dis-, armament scheme.

ANTI-WAR TREATY

KELLOGG DISCOURAGED AT CHAMBERLAIN’S WISH (Australian Press Association.) (Rec. August 2, 5.5 p.m.) Washington, August 1. Mr.. Kellogg is discouraged at Sir Austen Chamberlain’s expression of a wish that the United States might be expected actively to support the antiwar treaty in any emergency. Mr. Kellogg reiterated that the treaty was not designed to involve the United States in European affairs, but to serve as an instrument whereby the Governments should declare policies i hemselves in renunciation of war. While the State Department chose to detine self-defence as an individual matter, it declared that it was impossible to define “aggressive war” in advance. AUSTRALIAN SIGNATORY (Australian Press Association.) London, August I. It is understood that Mr. Bruce has deputed .Senator McLachlan to sign the Kellogg Pact. The nature of the ceremonial France has yet to decide.