FIVE-POWER CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 20310, 19 October 1929, Page 15

FIVE-POWER CONFERENCE

HAW LIMITATION JAPAN'S CORDIAL NOTE ALL POWERS ACCEPT INVITATION ' (British Official Wlreles*.) Tran Association —By Telegraph—Copyright . RUGBY, October 18. (Received October 19, at noon). The- text is issued of the reply of the Japanese Government to the British Government’s imitation to participate in the Five-Power Naval Conference. The reply says: “The Japanese, Government is happy to signify its entire’concurrence in the desirability of the proposed conference, and is ready to appoint .representatives to take part in the conference. The Japanese Government is further gratified to know of ; the willingness of the British Gov-' •.ernment to continue informal conversations with the Japanese Ambassador at London, as hitherto, on the many points which may require elucidation. It notes that a similar discussion conducted in London by the Prime Minister with the American Ambassador during the last three mouths had cleared the ground for an agreementon essential points between the British and American Governments, prior to tire invitation extended to other naval Powers to meet at the conference. The Japanese Government attaches the highest-importance to the same procedure being followed by the Japanese and British Governments in order to ensure Agreement between them on the various questions that arc to he laid before the conference. The success of the forthcoming conference no doubt depends in a large measure upon the satisfactory issue of such preliminary discussions, and the Japanese Govvernment confidently trusts that informal conversations between the British Government and the Ja pause Ambassador on questions of special moment will be carried on and completed before these questions tire presented to the conference for final adjustment. “With regard to the lour points principle mentioned in the British •Note as subject to provisional agreement between the British and America!. Governments, the Japanese Government hopes to be able to submit its observations in the course of an informal conversation which the Japanese Ambassador will shortly hold with the . British Government. It, would, however, make use of this occasion to assure the British Government of it* cordial support of the principle that the Treaty for Renunciation of War, signed, in Paris in 1923, should be taken as the starting point £er all discussions on disarmament. It feels confident that the sense of national security inspired by the provisions of that treaty in tke mutual relations of the contracting- Powers will pave the way to? s. final settlement of outstanding questions relative to naval disarmament.' ’ ' ■"

In eocclvtsion, the Japanese Government expresses the sincere ami earnest kope that tlie conference will succeed in the adoption of plans calculated to promote international peace and goodwill, and relieve humanity of the heavy burden of armaments, whether existing or contemplated. It is not merely the limitation, bub also the reduction of armaments that all nations should seek to attain.” Acceptances of the invitation to the Five-Power Naval Conference, issued by the British Government, have been received from the United States, France, Italy, and Japan, so that the conference is now assured. ■' MR MACDONALD IN CANADIAN CAPITAL THE EMPIRE'S RESPONSIBILITY Trsjj Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. OTTAWA, October 17. At the Government dinner in his honour, Mr Ramsay MacDonald brought his message of peace to Canada. He said that Great Britain and the .other nations of the British Commonwealth must not forget that their sacred honour was involved in the sacred crusade for peace. They must remember that fundamental thing, that, they are signatories to the pact of peace. “You send your Prime Minister across the ocean to sign the pact of peace. His name is attached to that document in your name, and you declare that war has been banished from your national policy.; Is your signature to be a mere scrawl of ink upon a.perishable document? The sig- ( natures of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the other dominions now become part and parcel of their national honour.” That was the position, and he felt that the British Empire was prepared to perform, sacrifices in order to ensure that its national honour should remain unsullied to the end. Mr MacDonald asserted that “ the great problem we have to face is the problem of the transition time. Here it is that the faint ones of the world . may falter and may: need the help of their stronger brothers. We have to lead the world gently across the differences, and the crossing must be made as happy and as confident as possible, until we come smiling over to where real peace aod wcurity may be enjoyed.” , . . Speaking of his mission, to the United States, he said he went to establish goodwill. An agreement with which to keep the world at peace could be made

only after common confidences were established. Agreements without confidence wore only scraps of paper, but the United States and Great Britain had come to no .agreement. Why? “Because the world was not the United States plus ourselves.” What was accomplished in the United States was the creation of a situation “so near an agreement” that now the two nations could unite in saying: “Let us bring in the rest of the world, as our differences will not interfere with a world .agreement.” Referring to the London Naval Conference in January, he declared that he hoped and prayed that an agreement would be reached at that conference which would constitute one of tire greatest steps forward in the direction of peace ever taken. There would be no more secrecy. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and all other parts at the Umpire, would be kept informed of the conference happenings, and so would any other nation which desired information. “Wo have lifted up the windows of our diplomatic office and wo have drawn up ike binds and opened the screens. Great Britain wants other nations to know the truth, because in this case knowledge is security.”—Australian Press Association-United Service. FRANCO-ITALIAN INTERESTS. LONDON, October 17. Reports both from Rome and Paris suggest that France and Italy have virtually completed arrangements to confer before the London conference in the hope of reaching a common policy in respect to safeguarding their naval interests, particularly submarines and light cruisers.—Australian Press Association. A NOTABLE GATHERING. OTTAWA, October 18. (Received October 19, at 10.30 a.m.) The gathering that Mr Ramsay MacDonald addressed to-day was one of the most distinguished which ho has so far faced on his American tour. Round the white horseshoe which was the banquet table were grouped the Prime Minister of Canada, the Leader of the Opposition, members of the Cabinet, Privy Councillors from all parts of the Dominion, and the highest members of the Judiciary. That the words of the speaker, whether grave or'gay, found a ready response ,in the minds of those present was indicated by the constant applause. That his mission had the support of the leaders of the Canadian people was amply testified by the speeches-of Mr Mackenzie King and Mr R. B. Bennett (Opposition Leader). The honour in which Air MacDonald is held was indicated when Air King announced that the Cabinet had passed an order-in-councii conferring the rank of Privy Councillor upon the visitor. Agreements were of no value, Air AlacDonald averred, if they were merely temporary agreements on paper. The kind of agreement that would keep the world in peace could be made only after common confidence had been established between the two peoples who had made an agreement. An agreement which was not tire embodiment of confidence was one of those scraps of paper which would be toiir up when convenience necessitated. With a fatherly note in his voice and a smile on his face, Air MacDonald spoke of the relationships between the Mother,- Country and the dominions, bound together by nothing more than allegiance to the Crown, which symbolised unity. The Canadian Prime Alinister assured Air AlacDonald of the whole-hearted sympathy with which Canada had followed his efforts ia the aause of peaee. —Australian Press Association.

ROUND OF APPOINTMENTS. OTTAWA. October 18. (Received October 19, at 10.30 a.m.) Mr MacDonald was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council of Canada to-day. He lunched'with the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Bennett), and had tea with the United States Minister (Mr Phillips). A dinner was held in his honour at Government House in the evening.—Australian Press Associa-