DISARMAMENT TREATY

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 147, 17 March 1933, Page 11

DISARMAMENT TREATY

Mr. MacDonald’s Draft LEADING PROPOSALS Desire for Early Results 1 VIGOROUS EFFORT MADE Official Wireless. Rugby, March 15. A vigorous effort 'is being made by the British Ministers at Geneva to achieve early effective results from the Disarmament Conference and at to-morrow’s meeting of the General Commission Mr. Ramsay MacDonald will make an Important pronouncement. In the course of his speech he will outline a draft Disarmament Convention, embodying the work already done by the Conference and embracing certain elements drawn from the plans laid before the Conference by other delegations as well as various British suggestions. The text of this proposed Disarmament Treaty will later be circulated to all delegations, and it will be found to include detailed and comprehensive proposals covering every phase of disarmament. The proposed treaty, which will be transitional, covering a five years’ period, will contain definite figures and proposals relating to naval, military, and air disarmament in regard to material and effectives, and’will deal also with the question of security. The need for some such quick and resolute action, if the Conference is to be saved, has impressed itself deeply upon Mr. MacDonald and Sir /John Simon, especially since their arrival in Geneva.

The situation in Europe, it is felt, demands decisive action if its further degeneration is to be stemmed, and the British Ministers believe that an adequate Convention, speedily concluded, would do inucn to restore the 'situation.

It is recognised that a mere repetition of the July resolution or the adjournment of the Conference before decisive steps have been taken to solve the main problems before the Conference, would, in the circumstances, be quite inadequate. The proposed Disarmament Treaty will, of necessity, call for compromises between different national viewpoints. It is, however, felt that the compromises and even the substantial sacrifices that they may involve will be justified if the Conference is saved and an important step achieved in the task of organising peace. A MEETING IN ROME MacDonald and Mussolini COLLABORATION SOUGHT (Received March 16, 5.5 p.m.) t Official Wireless. Rugby, March 15. The Foreign Office issued the following communique this evening: “The presence of the British Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at Geneva has given an opportunity which is welcome to both Ministers .for.: meetings between them and representatives of foreign Governments. His Excellency Signor Mussolini has addressed a cordial invitation to Mr. MacDonald and Sir John Simon to go to Rome before returning to Eng-, land. The British Ministers have been very glad to avail themselves of this Invitation and are arranging to leave Geneva for Rome on Friday night. “The Times” correspondent at Geneva says that the real object of Mr. MacDonald’s visit to Rome is to seek Signor Mussolini’s collaboration in his. carefully conceived policy for restoring peace to troubled Europe, but he has not the slightest iiftention of leaving ’’’•ance’ in the cold.