EUROPEAN UNION

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 74, 28 March 1931, Page 9

EUROPEAN UNION

HENDERSON IN PARIS

CAUSE OF DISARMAMENT

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

(liriUsli OBlcl.-il Wireless.)

(Received "Bth March, 11 a.m.)

JJUGBY, 27th March,

The- Foreign Secretary, Mr. A. Henderson, who is in Paris attending meetings in connection with the scheme for a Kiiropcan economic union, last night made a statement, in which ho referred to the proposed Customs agreement between Germany ami Austria. He said thnt there were very many reasons why he thought that the line which he had ventured to put before the German and Austrian Governments on the matter of a Customs union should be followed. He and M. Briand had had conversations, and he thought there was a general understanding between them that the British Government had adopted the right course. He was not officially aware that the German and Austrian Chancellors, whose replies he awaited, had said that the matter was not one for the Council. If they thought so, it would be a matter for serious consideration. Mr. Henderson went on to say that in his visit to Paris he was exceedingly anxious to seize the opportunity of talking over with the representatives of other Governments preparations for next year's Disarmament Conference. The absence of Dr. Curtius and Signor Grandi had rather thwarted his purpose, but he hoped that there would be a coming together very soon of representatives of one or two of the leading Governments in London. He regarded the coining Disarmament; Conference as possibly the greatest opportunity the world had ever had for dealing with that question in a comprehensive way. Mr. Henderson arrived in London from Paris to-day. He had nothing to add in regard to the proposed Aus-trian-German Customs union.