PEACE IN FAR EAST

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 189, 9 May 1934, Page 9

PEACE IN FAR EAST

House of Lords Debate VIGOROUS POLICY URGED ' Louuon, May 7. In the House of Lords Lord Ponsonby moved urging the Government to adopt a more vigorous policy in regard to disarmament in the Far East. “Our submission to Japanese demands.” lie said, “has bad an unfortunate effect throughout the world. The Government is behaving like a small Power of negligible influence, incapable of bold initiative.” Lord Cecil said that he had not seen any country anxious to break the peace, with the conceivable exception of Japan in view of her ambiguous policy in the past two years. He did not believe the result would be an outbreak of war. but they had reached a critical issue as to whether they intended to revert to pre-war international relations. The Government’s policy regarding the League was insufficiently vigorous.

Earl Stanhope, in reply, said that Britain could not take isolated action, beyond what the League was prepared to do. The Government would continue to take a lead at Geneva as long as ‘■here was a vestige of hope of a Disarmament Convention. They had naturally accepted Japan’s definite assurance that she intended to abide by the Nine-Power Treaty and the open door in Chinn. Lord Ponsonby withdrew his motion.