PROMOTION OF PEACE

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 64, 13 September 1932, Page 7

PROMOTION OF PEACE

WHAT PEI^GE HAS DONE

TREATY I OBLIGATIONS ...• C-Ited Press Association—By Electric Telleraph—Copyright. (Received 13th September, 1 p.m.) PABIS, 12th; September. Trance's reply to Germany challenges the latter's suggestion of the inadequacy of the Disarmament Conference. The reply adds that Trance has done everything possible to promote the conference's work by agreeing, to a de-' lay in the examination of the French security v thesis -until Germany's claim has been considered.. France showed ■ her willingness to reduce armaments when the Chamber of Deputies lowered the military vote by 1,500,000 francs. She also proposed prohibition of aerial bombardment. v The League Assembly recognised that the world should tend not toward- individual rearmament, but a general controlled disarmament. France would assist the Conference by this spirit, basing her doctrine on Article Eight of the Covenant. If Germany declared. ' herself entitled to modify her own armaments status she would contravene her treaty obligations and prevent general disarmament. It was desired to attain a convention relieving people of burdens and conferring a real guarantee of peace. France's efforts should permit the establishment of the status of Germany in a general peace statute protected by arbitration control. France was not legally justified in supporting Germany's contention that the Disarmament Convention; should supersede the Treaty, but within this legal reservation France would co-operate in-the examination of the problem ' Germany's claim entailedN rearma- £ eniii £ * Ould inevitably spread to all States subscribing to similar treaties leading t o: a recommencement or the armament race in ■ Central and Eastern Europe. Therefore, the whole of Europe was interested in a question which France could- not undertake to ' T + T 6r -D °ne- The whole naval status of the Powers was involved, and therefore the imprudence of an individual reply would affect the-military situa- ' tion of. the world. The necessary,,negotiation should not be begun with-' out a consultation of the Powers adhering to the Confidence Pact of 13th, July, to which Germany subscribed. France reserved her right to submit to the League reasons for preventing her agreeing to the rearmament of Germany. She had consented at Lausanne terat m sacriflcesin the general inrrance thinks she can co-operata wuh, Germany in the search for a new statute, not by returning tt-.tha preparation for war, but bY pro-gressing-in theorganisation of peaca.