IMAGINARY DISSENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 110, 3 February 1930, Page 11

IMAGINARY DISSENSIONS

MR, MACDONALD AND DOMINIONS PRESS REPORTS DENIED (Rec. February 2, 11.40 p.m.>. London, February 1. One of the most regrettable features of the Naval Conference hitherto has been the persistent attempt to raise imaginary dissensions amongst the British Commonwealth delegations. The French Press lit. 4 readily seized and magnified a situation which died a speedy death today. However, three London journals boldly published a new sensation that the “Steering” Committee has agreed that Thursday’s plenary session will not bo constituted, but is being supplanted by a committee of the whole because the Dominions have insisted upon the impossible, namely, full representation on the smaller body. The cource of this irresponsible statement is perhaps indicated by mass French comment telegraphed back to London from Paris to-day, showing that special French correspondents are telling France that the Dominions have put Mr. MacDonald in an embarrassing position, and having to appeal to the nations on Friday to amend the procedure to meet the Dominions’ protest. The “Matin” goes so far as to sneer at the self-made importance of some navyless Dominions, hampering the work of the Conference. The Australian Press Association has Mr. MacDonald’s authority to state that the sole reason behind the creation of the committee of the whole, instead of a smaller body, was the general recognition that the tonnage problem was most awkward and involved experts’ discussion and consultation, which could not freely be undertaken by a smaller committee on each of which there would be only one or two delegates, so his suggestion of a committee of the whole for the sake of flexibility was readily assented to by everybody. It is expected that the committee on Tuesday will get down to figures to try to fill in the blanks in the draft French plan. This does not mean that the Conference will concentrate on this to the exclusion of everything else, but while the leaders’ experts are busy thereon the remainder will preliminarily discuss other items of business. WOMEN’S PEACE CRUSADE MEMORIALS TO BE PRESENTED (Rec. February 2, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 1. Women representing the United States, Japan and France arrived in London to support the Naval Conference. The Americans brought huge dispatch cases packed with resolutions from organisations representing six million women’s branches throughout the country. Two Japanese, who have been travelling since early December, are accompanied by a chest containing 180,000 signatures, collected in twenty days. They will join the British women’s peace crusade in presenting memorials to Conference. Possibly a special meeting of delegates will be arranged for the purpose, otherwise they will be presented by their own delegations. Italy so far is not represented.