LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 290, 7 September 1928, Page 11

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

CHINA KEENLY DESIROUS OF CO-OPERATING PEACE ON BASIS OF WESTERN CIVILISATION REMOVAL OF OBSTACLES TO DISARMAMENT China’s keen desire to cooperate with the League of Nations in efforts to secure peace on the basis of Western co-operation, was voiced by Dr. Wang at the Assembly at Geneva. ' (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Australian Press Assn. —United Service I Geneva, .September 5. Dr. Wang voiced China’s keen desire to co-operate with the League towards securing peace on the basis of Western civilisation, and his statement was valued as an assurance that China's stability was within measurable distance. China wished to remove all barriers to full concord in the world, and on this point some revision of treaties was desired. ; Herr Unden (Sweden) vigorously expressed disappointment that, despite the Versailles and Locarno Treaties and the Kellogg Pact, they were unable x to assure impatient peoples that a sufficient degree of security had been achieved to tackle disarmament, to whit-h the ever-increasing obstacles were exasperating. He hoped that the Assembly would bend its energies towards their removal. Jonkeer van Blokland (Netherlands) thought that the League should be gratified witli the Kellogg Pact and the Franco-British naval agreement, both steps enabling it to approach disarmament in an atmosphere devoid of scepticism. EVACUATION OF RHINELAND DISCUSSION EXPECTED BRITAIN’S SYMPATHETIC ATTITUDE (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, September 5. Newspaper reports from-Geneva suggest that the French and German delegates now attending the League meetings may take the opportunity to discuss the question of the Rhineland evacuation, and that an interview between M. Briand and Herr Mueller, the German Chancellor, is being arranged as a preliminary to such discussion. Reports state that the British delegation at Geneva will be kept informed of any such development and that its attitude is one of sympathetic regard for the efforts by the French and German representatlves to Hud a basis for discussion. . , The British Governments attitude to the German demand for the evacuation of the Rhineland before the time limit fixed by the Allies was Indicated in the House of Commons by Sir Austen Chamberlain shortly before Parliament rose. The Foreign Secretaiy then said that the British Government sympathised with the German demand, hut an earlier evacuation could only be the result of an arrangement between the occupying Powers on the one hand and the German Government on the other. Other Powers had to be consulted; The British Government was ready to give friendly consideration to any proposals which might be put forward. PRELIMINARY CONVERSATION BETWEEN BRIAND AND MUELLER Geneva, September 5. Following a ninety-minutes’ conversation between M. Briand and Herr Mueller, M. Briand gave a. statement to the Press: “No Rhineland negotiations occurred. Germany, by virtue of the provisions of the Versailles Treaty, has a perfect right to seek negotiations on this question. Had she done so to-day I would have replied that it was a question that France could not discuss, except in the presence or at least with the consent of the three other nations concerned, namely, Britain, Belgium, and Italy.” He added that further conversations were probable. The German delegation issued a statement: “The object of the conversations was the discussion of various problems interesting both countries, including the Rhineland evacuation, but tlie meeting was merely of a preliminary character. Both M. Briand ami Herr Mueller are hopeful that the conversations will be taken up at Geneva by the nations concerned.”