DISARMAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 20664, 11 December 1930, Page 10

DISARMAMENT

THE PREPARATORY COMMISSION DRAFT CONVENTION COMPLETED (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright^ RUGBY, December 10. (Received December 11, at 11.30 a.m.)' Tlio Preparatory Disarmament Commission has completed its draft convention. Into tliis framework thq World Disarmament Conference will be? invited to insert effective proposals fog disarmament. The commission also approved of a detailed report explaining the evolution of each of the clauses! and the reasons for the reservations attached thereto. Lord Cecil, in a speech, pointed oufi that the scheme as drafted contemplated no finality, but they had created a piece of machinery which he believed would be of the greatest value to the cause of disarmament. They were) going to bring into existence an international organ whose duty it would ba to watch over what they had done and to press forward continually to further advances. “SOMETHING ACCOMPLISHED “ THE FIRST STEP TAKEN. RUGBY, December 10. (Received December 11, at noon.) Under the heading ‘ Something Accomplished,’ 4 The Times ’ in a leading article says: 44 It is easy to deridei the commission because, in fact, tha nations of Europe have increased rather than diminished their armaments while its labour was proceeding,but for that, clearly, the envoys and experts at Geneva were not responsible* The various Governments have at least had the excuse, until some general plan was approved, that each had only to consider its own position. That excuse is now withdrawn. . The first step has been taken. The League has drawn up a scheme by which disarmament may bo achieved equally and simultaneously and has established a criterion by which each country may know the reduction made by the others equivalent to its own. Those who remember tha early dissatisfaction of the Preparatory Commission and the complete divergence of opinion on the first principled must now feel, in spite of excursions and alarums elsewhere, that the cooperative principle has made some real, progress.” BRITISH WARSHIP BUILDING STATEMENT IN COMMONS. LONDON, December 10. (Received December 11, at 12.45 p.m.)) Asked by Commander Kenworthy in the House of Commons whether in view; of the calling of a world conference oni disarmament, the Government had considered the advisability of postponing new warship buliding, Mr C. G. Ammon (Financial Secretary to the Admiralty)) said the Admiralty would continue the replacement of obsolete ships within the terms of the Loudon Naval Treaty* .These would in nowise jrejudiee the decisions of the conference.