FUTURE PEACE

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 58, 2 December 1930, Page 11

FUTURE PEACE

“Far-Reaching Step” IMPARTIAL TRIBUNAL Britain Gives a Lead (Rec. Decvmber 1, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless Rugby, November 30. . The Foreign Secretary, Mr. Arthur Henderson, speaking at Cardiff yesterday, referred to the situation regarding disarmament. Under the terms of the General Act of Arbitration which, he indicated, the Government 'were accepting, every dispute would be referred to an impartial tribunal. He added: “As a result of the discussions at the Imperial Conference we may now hope that all self-govern-ing Dominions will act with us in tak. ing this new and far-reaching step. The British Commonwealth having given a lead In this great matter, other Powers, I am certain, will follow their example. We shall then have made another great step forward toward the completion of our system of safeguarding against war.” Feelings of Dominions.

Ou world disarmament the Government were also in complete accord with the Dominions. The Preparatory Commission on Disarmament at Geneva had been making very satisfactory progress, and he could not appraise too highly the work of Lord Cecil. He continued: “Plainly we must have some limitation of manpower to be maintained if the Treaty comes into operation. We must have some limitation of material. We must have publicity so that we know what the Governments are doing. We must have some sort of supervision and control by an impartial League of Nations Commission whose task shall be to ensure that the limits included m the Disarmament Treaty are not infringed or exceeded in any way. Possible Revision. “After the first five years the Disarmament Treaty will be subject to revision, and if the experience of the first five years shows °iat the Treaty needs improvement, we Shall be in a happy position to set about making that'improvement. “When We have the work of the Preparatory Commission completed! we hope that before many months there will be a fixed disarmament conference representing the whole world. GERMAN PROTEST France Not Disarmed NEW FEAR OF BELGIUM (Rec. December 1, 11.50 p’.m.) Berlin, December 1. , General Greener when interviewed* vigorously protested that France was not carrying out her solemn undertaking to disarm after Germany had done so. . , ... He Said that this must result in an unbearable disproportion of armaments in Europe. The inter-Amed Disarmament Commission had confiscated 130,000 machine guhs in Germany, 60.000 guns, 15,700 aeroplanes, and 7,700 aeroplane engines; and, of 10,000 factories capable of making armaments, COO had been destroyed and others were so transformed hs to be useless for military purposes. Germany could now be oyer-fun by the French and Belgian standing armies of 740,000 men, 1600 aeroplanes and 2000 tanks. ...