DISARMAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19518, 28 March 1927, Page 5

DISARMAMENT

GENEVA PREPARATORY CONFERENCE' RUSSIA’S PARTICIPATION CERTAIN. Press Association —By Telagraph—Copyright. LONDON, March 26. ,Speaking at the Preparatory Disarmament Conference at Geneva, Viscount Cecil stressed the fact that the British Army was different from Continental armies, being purely a defensive force composed of volunteers. The British Government, therefore, had no interest in limiting land forces Its only aim was to assist in the establishment of a system adaptable to other States. . Well-informed circles consider Russia’s participation in the plenary conferences a practical certainty, in view of M. Motta’s assurance that if the Russo-Swiss relations cannot be restored Switzerland will not consider it an affront if the conference should be held outside Geneva. The French, Polos, Czecho-Slovaks, Jugo-Slavians, and the Baltic States' regard Soviet participation as imperative; otherwise the treaty will be futile.