NATIONS DISARMING

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 November 1927, Page 7

NATIONS DISARMING

SMALLER EUROPEAN ARMIES

BRITAIN’S GOOD EXAMPLE

'Australian and N.Z. Cabl* Association.) (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.)

LONDON, November 24. The League of Nations correspondent in an article, recalls the League’s Charter; and declares that members recognise that the maintenance of peace requires a reduction of national armaments to the lowest point consistent with national safety, and the enforcement by common action of international obligations. The correspondent points out that the swollen pre-war armaments have been considerably reduced in fulfilment of that idea. At present on a peace strength, there are at the most 3,700,000 armed men in Europe compared with 5,386,000 in 1915. Britain’s strength, excluding India, has been reduced from 183,000 to 166,000, France 835,000 to 637,000, Italy 250,000 to £236,000. Only Spain, Greece, Belgium, Roumania and Jugoslavia have increased —Roumania and Jugo-Slavia owing to larger territory. 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 were introduced, Britain, allowing for her world-wide responsibility, would be entitled to increased armaments.

RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA

LONDON, Nov. 23.

Complications are arising in connection with the Geneva meeting on November 30. At first it was understood that the session would last merely two or three days and be confined to the tasks entrusted by the Assembly in September, namely the appointment of a special committee to deal with security as effecting disarmament, and that this drawing up of a programme would be adjourned until February. The French attach the utmost importance to this procedure. Their contention always has been for security before disarmament. It has become known, however, that Court Bernstorff asked Herr Jonkheer to include a general discussion on disarmament next week, and the Soviet delegation is almost certain to support the German request, but from a different motive, their hope being to make the meeting overlap the League Council, and afford M. Litvinoff an opportunity of meeting Sir Austen Chamberlain. No one is deceived by the Soviet’s assumed interest in disarmament, which is merely intended to cover the usual gibes against the capitalistic states and yield propaganda if their own programme is turned down. AMERICAN FLEET PARIS, Nov. 23. The United States Fleet will not only be equal to but will be superior to any other, declared Captain White, an American naval attache at a Thanksgiving dinner. “I am against ninety per cent, efficiency and favour a hundred per cent, to attain which, great expense must be incurred.”