ARMS EQUALITY

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 68, 13 December 1932, Page 9

ARMS EQUALITY

Agreement at Geneva

FORMULA ACCEPTED Abstention from Warfare GERMANY TO RETURN Official Wireless. Rugby, Dee. 10. Full agreement on the future of tlie Disarmament Conference was reached by the five Powers represented at Geneva to-day, Baron yon NeuraAi having received authority from the German Government to accept tlie formula drafted yesterday.

The formula contains five main points, namely :—

(1) That the five Powers recognise that one of the aims of the Disarmament Conference is to assure equality of right to Powers disarmed by the Peace Treaties. . , ♦ „ (2) That Germany is ready to return to the Disarmament Conference. (3) That the European Powers will solemnly subscribe to a declaration that thev will not in any circumstances resort to arms for the settlement of anv dispute that may arise. (4) That the five Powers agree that a reduction of armaments, as provided for by Article 8 of the Covenant, to the lowest possible level compatible with national security will be brought about by stages. (5) That the work of the Conference will be continued. Declaration Signed. Supplementing the wireless message a Press Association cablegram from Geneva states that Germany has accepted the draft equality formula, and will attend the Disarmament Bureau meeting on December 13. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald (Great Britain), M. Boncour (France), Baron von Neurath (Germany), Mr. Davis (United States), and Signor Aloisi (Italy) signed a declaration that Britain, France, and Italy agree that the recognition of Germany’s equality rights should be embodied in the convention which is to be concluded by the Disarmament Conference, iu which the respective limitations of armaments of all States will also be included. Substantial Limitation. Tlie Conference will discuss the methods of applcation of equality rights. The signatories resolved to co-operate in the Conference, and achieve a substantial limitation of armaments with a provision enabling a further reduction in the future.. The signatories are ready to join all European States in a solemn affirmation that they will not in any circumstances attempt to resolve present or future difficulties by resort to force, thereby avoiding a discussion of the question of security. SOME PLAIN SPEAKING Nearly a Break-down at End COMPROMISE ACCEPTED (Received Dec. 12, 11.15 p.m.) Geneva, Dec. 12. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, Mr. Norman Davis, and Sir John Simon are generally credited with what success attended the end of the Disarmament Conference. It is no secret that there was some plain speaking at the final session and that negotiations were in hourly danger of breaking down. German circles at Geneva attribute the final acceptance of a compromise to

the fact that Germany has a military Chancellor who knows how far to com mit his countrymen and how to safeguard them against France’s demands for equality. Though the Sino-Japanese dispute will keep Sir John Simon at Geneva for the rest of the week, the other delegates are delighted to be relieved from attendance at disarmament proceedings until January.

SCEPTICAL GERMANS May Withdraw Again FURTHER DISCUSSION (Received Dee. 12,11.30 p.m.) London, Dec. 12. The British United Press representative at Geneva says:— “The German delegation is sceptical of tlie value of the Five Power declaration on disarmament. Before he went to Berlin Baron von Neurath indicated that if the methods to be suggested for practical realisation of equality of rights proved unsatisfactory Germany would again withdraw from the Disarmament Conference. “The Big Five tentatively agreed to meet at London in the middle of December to discuss procedure, but Mr. Arthur Henderson will also be present in order to show that the discussion is not an attempt to supplant the Conference itself. There is a possibility that Japan and Russia at a later stage will be invited to participate in similar discussions. Mr. MacDonald hopes that the present declaration will be interpreted in tlie United States as definite proof that Europe is making serious efforts to set her house in order, but the United States delegate is understood to bo disappointed that time did not permit a thorough exploration of the possibility of a preliminary disarmament convention. It is hoped that an attempt to frame a convention will be made early in the New Year.