PROHIBITED ARMS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 171, 15 April 1932, Page 11

PROHIBITED ARMS

Sweeping Proposal at Geneva AGGRESSIVE WEAPONS By Telegraph— Pmm Awn.— Copyright. Geneva, April 18. At the meeting of the General Committee of the Disarmament Conference, M. Tardleu (France), continuing his criticism of the United States proposal to limit certain aggressive armaments, asked the committee if it thought that any nation resorting to a war, and violating the Kellogg Pact, would not also utilise the prohibited armaments. Then looking straight at the German delegation, he added: “Some of our friends Invented a pocket battleship. Is it not possible that some day someone may invent a pocket gun?” Signor Grand! (Italy), associating himself with the proposal made on behalf of the United States by Mr. Hugh Gibson, sweeplngly proposed the immediate abolition of chemical and bacteriological warfare, and the abolition of battleships, aeroplane carriers, and submarines by yearly percentages in accordance to the number of years fixed for abolition; also the abolition of bombing aeroplanes and heavy artillery by a progressive diminution beginning with the heaviest guns. , The discussion has become simply a repetition of those of the last four years. The latest proposals have been referred to the bureau, which is expected to report ou Monday. Mr. Gibson’s motion was that the general committee believed that abolition of aggressive weapons should constitute the first and essential requisite of disarmament and accordingly called for the abolition of tanks, heavy mobile guns, and poison gas.