DISARMAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 64, 17 March 1933, Page 8

DISARMAMENT

DRAFT CONVENTION

RESULTS AT GENEVA

FULL SCHEME SUBMITTED

MR. MACDONALD1 S SPEECH

. (British Official Wireless.) (Received March 17, 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, March 16. The British Prime. Minister (Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald) delivered his eagerly-awaited speech before the General Commission of the Disarmament Conference this afternoon when he submitted a comprehensive draft Convention on disarmament. This draft of a general Convention has been produced so that it will bring together the maximum results already achieved in detailed and separate discussion in committees and sub-committees, and will be the means of expressing the mind of the Conference on every phase of the disarmament question. It is hoped that quick and resolute action on lines of the Prime Minister's proposal will enhance the prospects of general disarmament, and will improve the political atmosphere of Europe. In his speech recommending the Convention to delegates Mr. Mac Donald referred to the great issues with which the Conference was dealing and the work done compartment by compartment on disarmament problems. That method had now exhausted its usefulness. The British delegation had therefore drawn up a complete scheme. All nations must give their contribution to disarmament. Armed nations must be prepared to make their contributions in disarmament, and disarmed nations must be prepared to make theirs'in helping to establish confidence, goodwill, security, mutual understanding, and trust. Mr. ( MacDonaJd emphasised the importance of bringing the work of the Conference to a definite conclusion. Adjournment would be a confession of fear, and would mean failure. The problem of peace was psychological. A great and substantial advance towarda disarmament and towards equality could be measured by • the amount of trust and confidence. He then outlined .the five main points of the Convention. POINTS IN CONVENTION. The first reduced the period, which should not be indefinite as the risk would be too great. The second showed that the aims and principles of a reduction of armaments was to present their bona fides to the world. The third point contained a proposal for international control to secure that the Convention, which would be signed there solemnly by all of them, would be carried out. The fourth point was, the setting, up of bodies to continue the work of disarmament until final disarmament was reached. Fifthly, the-British-plan gave opportunity for political work to "be done to restore confidence before the next meeting of the Disarmament Conference, which he placed at about two years' time. Speaking of the reduction of effectives. Mr. MaeDonald said that the British plan included the reduction of heavy arms, which were more suited for offence rather than defence. As to naval disarmament he showed that Great Britain was ready to go as far as anyone in. this direction. Britain would continue to study the position of disarmament still further. The Britißh Prime Minister added, that he favoured the total abolition of military and naval aircraft on condition that the scheme was one to which all would subscribe against the misuse of civil aircraft. Mr. MacDonsid concluded: We have had enough of ' war, enough of recourse to force. We can stop it, and?we must stop and ask you to apply yourselves to practical problems and give yourselves ud to the task of supporting common sensa and objective reasoning, for which»your children will nraise you in time to come. TEXT OF CONVENTION. At the conclusion of the speech the text was circulated of the* draft British Disarmament Convention. This important document deals comprehensively with all phases of disarmament problems and contains definite figures in regard to personnel and material of sea land, and air services. The first part of the Convention deals with security and is based on the existence of the -Paris Pact, to which nearly all signatories of the proposed convention are parties. It declares that war undertaken in breach of that Pact is a matter of interest to.all parties and a. breach of obligations is assumed towards each. In event of a breach or the threat of a breach of the Pact there is to be a conference between the parties or any five of them, including one at least of.the great Powers. The conference may be summoned through the League. Any conclusions Teached must-be concurred in by representatives of all the great Powers and by a majority of the other governments participating in the conference.. It will be the object of the conference, if called in view' of a threat of a breach of the Pact, to agree upon the steps which could be taken in respec^ of such breach and, if a breach has actually occurred, to determine which party is to be held responsible. EFFECTIVES AND MATERIAL. Part two deals with effectives and material. Provisions regarding effectives follow the principle of computing effectives by the average of number of days of duty performed, as being the ' fairest method of taking account of armies with differing periods of services. Begarding European land forces, it has been thought advisable, bearing in mind the proposals made with other delegates, to put all of these on a comparable basis and with a view to limiting the power of aggression, td reduce them all to militia bases by the fixing of eight months as a maximum period of service, provision being made in certain cases, to be decided by the conference, for an extension to twelve months. Provision is also made for a fixed ratio of long-service personnel to conscripts in all Continental land forces. No attempt is made to standardise the armies of the rest of the world" in view of the differing needs existing in other- continents. Once agreement has been reached on the size of European Continental land forces, it is thought that it will not be difficult to fix the figures of the limitation for other countries.

A tahle of average daily effectives not to Tie exceeded in land forces is given. The figures of suggested totals to be stationed in the homo country are: France, Italy, Germany, Poland 200,000 each; Soviet Russia 500,000, Rumania. 150,000, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia each 100,000, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary each 60,000, Portugal 50,000, Holland -25,000. By including overseas forces the French total is raised to 400,000j the Italian to 250^000,

the Belgian to 75,000, and the Portuguese to 60,000. Each other continental European State is allocated a maximum, including overseas, of 50,000. Eegarding land material mobile land guns are fixed at a maximum calibre of 105 MM. States may retain existing armament up to .155 MM, but not to exceed 105 MM in future construction. For coast defence guns of 406 MM calibre are based on the size of the largest naval gun. The maximum limit for tanks is 16 tons. Prohibited material is to bo destroyed, one-third within one year and the remainder within three years of the coining into force of the Convention. NAVAL AND AIR ARMAMENT. Eegarding naval armament the articles are generally designed to hold the situation created by the London and Washington Treaties. The Naval Conference t6 meet in 1D35 will regulate naval armaments of all Powers on satisfactory basis for the future. The object has been to extend tho Treaty of London to include France and Italy. The draft stabilises Germany's naval position up to 1937. Eegarding air armaments, except for police purposes in certain outlying regions, bombing fnftn the air is completely prohibited. With a view to effecting during the next five years the reductions necessary to facilitate further disarmament after that period, the table sets out the figure of aeroplanes capable of use in war which by the end of the period arc not to be exceeded by countries which at present possess such aeroplanes. As regards other countries the status quo is maintained. The figure to which each of tho principal air Powers: Franco, Japan, Italy, Eussia v America, and the United Kingdom is to be reduced is 500. No Naval or mili^ tary aeroplanes, excluding troop carriers and flying boats, are to exceed three tons unladen. No fresh dirigibles are to be built. Civil aviation is to be dealt with on the lines proposed by tho United Kingdom in June', 1932.

The Permanent Disarmament Commission is to draw np a scheme for the complete abolition of naval and military aircraft conditional upon the effective supervision of civil aviation to prevent its misuse. Chemical incendiary and bacterial warfare are prohibited. ■ '