ARMAMENT REDUCTION

Evening Star, Issue 19723, 25 November 1927, Page 5

ARMAMENT REDUCTION

DECREASES SINCE WAR LEAGUE’S CHARTER CARRIED OUT. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, November 23. The League of Nations correspondent of ‘The Times,’ in an article, recalls that the League’s charter declares that members must recognise the mainten ancc of peace, and requires a reduction of national armaments to the lowest point consistent with national safety, and the enforcement by com. mon action of international obligations. The correspondent points out Unit swollen pre-war armaments have been considerably reduced in fulfilment of that ideal. At present, on the icace strength, there aro at most 3,700,000 armed men in Europe, compared with 5.318.000 in 1914. Britain’s strength, excluding India, has been reduced from 183.000 to 100,000, Franco’s from 535,000 to 637,000, and Italy’s from 250,(XX) to 246,000. Only Spain, Greece, Belgium, Rumania, and Jugoslavia have increased. If due consideration is given to the Empire’s position and dependence on sea routes, Britain has fully reduced her forces in accordance with the League charter. A member of the Preparatory Commission has even remarked that if an international standard of forces was introduced Britain, allowing for her world-wide responsibilities, would be entitled to increased armaments.—‘ The Times. 1 THE GENEVA CONFERENCE. COMPLICATIONS ARISING. LONDON, November 23. Complications arc arising in connection with the Geneva meeting on November 30. It was at first understood that tho session would last merely two or three davs and bo confined to the task entrusted to it by tile Assembly in September—namely, the appointment of a special committee to deal with security as affecting disarmament—and that the drawing up of the programme would be adjourned until February. Tho French attach the utmost importance to this procedure, as their contention always has been for security before disarmament. .It has become known, however, that Count Bcrnstorff asked M. Jonkhecr to include a general discussion on disarmament next week, and tiie Soviet delegation is almost certain to support the German request, but from a different motive, their hope being to make tho meeting overlap the League Council and all on! M. Litvinolt an opportunity of meeting Sir Austen Chamberlain. No one is deceived by the Soviet’s assumed interest in disarmament, which is merely intended tio cover the usual gibes against capitalistic States and yield propaganda if their own programme is turned down. AMERICA’S BOAST. NAVY SUPERIOR TO ANY OTHER. PARIS, November 23. ‘‘The American navy will not only be equal to, but will be superior to, any other,” declared Captain White, the American naval attache, at a thanksgiving dinner. “1 am against 90 per cent, efficiency, and iavor 100, to attain, which great expense must bo incurred.”