DEPENDENT ON PEACE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 68, 21 March 1931, Page 9

DEPENDENT ON PEACE

STRONGER MACHINERY

IJKITAJN'S EFFORTS

(IJrifisii Official Wirclcis.) (Kci-eived :21st .Mairh, H ;i.m.) .RUGBY, 201 h March. The Foreign Secretary, Mr. Arthur Henderson, in a speech at Hull this evening said that the Great War had convinced peoples of all countries that peace was the cornerstone of welfare, and Mint tho welfare of each was dependent on that of all. After the war the elaboration of the machinery o£ peace began with the Covenant of the League of Nations. It had been the policy of successive British Governments to strengthen that machinery. The present Government signed the Optional Clause, and its example had been followed by many others, 34 nations now being parties to this undertaking. Uccciitly the House of Commons approved the ratification of tho General Act under which the settlement of every dispute, whatever its nature, must be sought by peaceful procedure, and the signatories undertake to-abide by the decision. The Government was reviewing other possibilities in this Hold, for example, amendments to the Covenant of the League. BOLE OF DISAKMAMENT. The Covenant recognised that disarmament must go hand in hand with arbitration. In this field also progress had been made, and a draft scheme had been evolved at Genera which would enable tho long-delayed Disarmament Conference to meet next year with a real promise of success. In the meantime definite measures of limitation of armament had been adopted by many countries. The Washington Conference of 1922 limited the building of battleships between five great countries. Tho London Conference of 1930 resulted in the limitation of naval armament of all kinds between the United States^ Japan, and Britain. The work of that Conferonce recently had been extended by an arrangement between France, Italy, and Britain, which he had every reason to hope would have far-reaching political effects of a beneficial character. Ho now wished to see a great movement set on foot throughout Britain, which would send tho British delegation to Geneva next year with the. public opinion of the country behind them.