ARMS LIMITATION

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 302, 21 September 1928, Page 11

ARMS LIMITATION

PROPOSAL TO CALL INFORMAL CONFERENCE TO SEARCH FOR SOLUTION OF DIFFERENCES AND ENABLE COMMISSION TO CONTINUE LABOURS (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, September 19. In the meeting of the Disarmament Committee of the League Assembly yesterday Jonkheer van Loudon (Holland) put forward a suggestion that he, as chairman of the Preparatory Disarmament Commission, should invite the Governments of France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and the United States to appoint delegates to confer with hits in Paris for the purpose of discovering a basis on which the Preparatory Commission could continue its labours. Effect on Washington Treaty Reviewed. Lord Cusheudun, however, expressed the view that the suggestion, made with the best possible motives, might not have quite the effect anticipated. The Powers mentioned were, signatories of the Washington Naval Convention, which automatically came up for review in 1931, and the effect of Jonkheer van Loudon’s suggestion was to ante-date the review of the Washington Treaty under different auspices. He expressed his personal view that the Powers concerned would be unlikely to welcome the proposal. Position of United States. The newspapers in discussing the suggestion point out that the United States Government, which is, of course, not represented on the League Com mittee, in which the suggestion was made, was the initiator of the Washington Conference and the Five Power discussions, and that Lord Cushendun had this fact very much in mind when he pointed out the disadvantage of discussions under different auspices. The French delegate, M. Paul Bon cour, later in the discussion, put forward a resolution to the effect that the League Council should be asked to invite the Governments between whom differences on armament limitation still existed to search for a common solution which would permit the work of the Preparatory Disarmament Commission to be resumed. WASTED AFTERNOON DEBATE NEVER TOUCHED ESSENTIALS (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) Geneva, September 19. For 1 the whole afternoon the Third Commission wrestled with procedure, considering M. Boncour’s and Count Bernstorff's motions, both designed to achieve an early meeting of the Preparatory Disarmament Commission, but differing slightly in degree. Consequently, the debate never touched essentials, and it really seemed a deplorable waste of time over such a slight divergence, especially as most of the delegates seemd to be agreed not to fir the date of the meeting. The most significant fact was that there was not one mention of Jonkheer van Loudon’s proposed naval conference. It was dropped like a hot cake. CZECHO-SLOVAKIA AND JUGOSLAVIA RENEW TREATY OF ALLIANCE (Australian Press Association.) (Rec. September 20, 9.10 p.m.) Geneva, September 19. The Foreign Ministers of Czechoslovakia (Dr. Benes) and Jugo-Slavia (M. Marinkovltch) have signed a renewal of the Treaty of Alliance.