DISARMAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 11, 13 July 1931, Page 9

DISARMAMENT

MOVEMENT IN BEITAIN

GREAT LONDON MEETING

(British Official ' Wireless.) (Beceived 13tlT.July, 11 a.m.) ■...'..: • BUGBY, 11th. July. The Prime -Minister, Mr. Mac Donald, and tho Leaders of the- Conservative and Liberal ..Parities', Messrs. Baldwin arid Lloyd George, were speakers at a great meeting in the Albert Hall. today, organised by. tho British League of Nations Union, and supported by 60 other organisations,'in favour of international action for the reduction of armaments and .with, a view to prousing world public opinion to secure the, success of the Disarmament Conference in Fobruary next. , A procession half a mile long inarched from the Embankment, to Hyde Park befovo the meeting. Field-Marshal Sir William Robertson, who . presided, said that speaking as one who had passed half a century in the" study and practice of war, it was for tho statesmen of the world to take advantage, of _ ,tho encouraging elements which existed to bring about tho success of the conference. Tho Prime, 'Minister said that all parties and sections of opinion in G relit Britain had come together in a unique gathering to manifest their support of one of the greatest causes which had ever enlisted the support of peoples. They should have no illusions about disarmament, however. They., would require to bo persistent and patient. It was essentially an international question. Alone one nation could pioneer, but alone one nation could not attain. . ■-.■.■-.' He referred to the danger of nations seeking their security by arms, and said that security rested not in arms, but in preventing the causes which hitherto had led to war from developing into war. He reminded tho meeting that disarmament was rot tho agitation of a. coterie but tho aim to Avhicli Groat Britain with other nations wa.s pledged agaiivand/again in its international engagements.1' Therefore honour bound them to use all their power next February so that Groat Britain should clear a way at tho forefront of those who not.merely sought peace, but ensured it. . ' " MX. BALDWIN AGREES. Mr. Baldwin said that ho agreed with tho Prime Minister that, while the nations wore bound by treaty and honour to international disarmament, many people, however, did not realise what tho 'British contribution to disarmament had been. He took, for example, the air staff. With the advent of aerial warfare British insularity had gone for ever, yet after the war we virtually scrapped our Air Force, we reduced over 1000 machines to 300, and disbanded nine-tenths of tho personnel. Ho hoped that tho result of the conference in February would establish some sort 'of parity in tho air forces of Western Europe. He believed tho hope of, Europe was in the L'cagUo' of Nations, but that body was hampered .by tho abaoico from membership of tbo United. -States.: lv tlio .event o£ a

leaguo economic blockage lo prevent war what would be the attitude of the United; States, ho asked. The United States would happily be at tho Disarmament Conference, but for tho reason ho had stated and many others, they wanted her co-operation in the Leaguo problem of reconciling national interests and international disarmament.

Mr. Lloyd George said that ho was there- to emphasise tho unity of all the parties in Great Britain on the disarmament question. They must make every effort to teach and influence the minds of men in tho direction of recognising tho need for tho application of the moral principles of individual conduct to the policy of nations. The speeches at the Albert Hall meeting wg:o bro'adeast in Great Britain and twenty-sis other countries. A JSfew York message says that a relayed broadcast was heard there with normal clearness. A (alkie film 'was made, wjhieh it has been arranged lo show in two dozen different countries.