GENEVA DISCUSSIONS

Evening Star, Issue 19617, 25 July 1927, Page 5

GENEVA DISCUSSIONS

MR CHURCHILL’S VIEWS Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, July 23. Mr Winston Churchill, speaking at Devon, declared: “Thus far it cannot be said that any assurance of economy in national security or improved goodwill lias emerged from tho Geneva Conference, but no effort must be spared to ensure success. Nevertheless, an agreement involving a gigantic expenditure on naval construction would be worse than a moderate expenditure without an agreement.”—A. and N.Z. and ‘ Sun ’ Cable. ANOTHER CABINET MEETING.

LONDON, July 23,

Mr Bridgemau and Lord Cecil will attend a further meeting of Cabinet on .Monday, and return to Geneva on t’ucsday fortified with the fullest Cabinet authority. If Cabinet approves, Sir Austen Chamberlain may fully review the naval disarmament policy in the House of Commons on Monday to provide an opportunity for a full debate.

MR GARVIN’S COMMENTS

LONDON, July 23. Mr J. L. Garvin, in the ‘ Observer,’ states:—“The Washington Conference was a model; Geneva, by comparison, is a muddle. In the latter case, though ill-prepared beforehand, our delegation was admirably equipped technically, but showed a want of insight into the American case. The Americans, on the other hand, were not equipped with the knowledge even of elementary conditions of British existence. America so far lias suggested tonnage totals which are far too small for our requirements. Nobody can contest that we need far more smaller cruisers than America but the Washington Navy Board seems to want to compensate ftsolf to the extent of tonnage thus used with additional largo Bin-gunncd cruisers. If America really wants supremacy in that kind of cruisers vitally effecting battle power, let her say so. Limitation conferences would then result in an ironic increase of American armaments, which, nevertheless, would bo within the four walls of the Washington Treaty. Britain would not have ground for complaint, but would know how to accommodate herself in the new situation.

AUTHORITY FOR DELEGATES. (British Official News.) Press Association—By Wireless—Copyright, RUGBY, July 24. tßeceived July 25, at 11 a.m.) Cabinet is to meet to-morrow morning under the presidency of Sir Austen Chamberlain before the return of Mr Bridgeman and Lord Cecil to the Geneva Conference on Naval Limitation'. Mr Bridgeman and Laid Cecil will thus be fortified with full Cabinet authority for their further conduct of the discussions at Geneva.

It is hoped that, according to present plans, Sir Austen Chamberlain will be able to make in the House of Commons to-morrow afternoon a detailed statement of the Government’s policy, and that the House will bo afforded an opportunity of debating the issues involved, in which case the British delegates would be further strengthened by parliamentary opinion. It will, however, only he known to-morrow whether such a debate will take pla-e.