DISARMAMENT

Grey River Argus, 26 March 1928, Page 5

DISARMAMENT

NOTHING DOING At Geneva (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn & Run Cable) (Received March 25 at 5.5 p.m.) GENEVA', March 24. The Disarmament Commission has ended. It did so cordially, after a day spent in the discussion of a German proposal to fix a definite date for a Disarmament Conference. This was rejected, as also was the wording of a resolution for the shelving of M. Litvinoff’s draft convention. The Commission from this deleted th e words: “The Soviet draft corresponds with the ideal of mankind, but, under existing conditions, is incapable of execution. ’ ’ M. Litvinoff (Soviet delegate) was disappointed. He reiterated that he did not see why the Commission should decline the first reading. A resolution was eventually adopted. It declared: “The Soviet draft is not acceptable. The Commission must pursue lines already mapped out, but it promises to consider a new Soviet Draft next session, which if possible, will precede the next assembly.” The Chairman, in a valedictory speech, said that he hoped the Soviet would then come in a constructive, and not in a destructive spirit. M. Litvinoff paid a tribute to .the' League Secretariat’s work, especially to the disarmament section.

Lord Cushendun remarked that it was the first time they had had pleasure.,in associating .themselves with M. Litvinoff. (Laughter.)

Britain’s Latest Proposal REDUCTION IN OF BATTLESHIPS. GENEVA, Marell 24. Lord Cushendun (Britain) lias addressed a note to the American, Japanese* and French representatives on the Disarmament Commission, explaining that, when replying to M. .Litvinoff on March 2O.th, he was compelled to refer indefinitely to Britain’s readiness to reduci* the stzi* of her capital ships. He says he now is able to re veal the British proposals. The proposals are: —Firstly, the reduction of the size of battleships from thirty-five thousand tons to under thirty thousand tons; secondly, the reduction in the size of guns from sixteen inches to 13.5 inches; thirdly, an extension of the life of battleships from twenty years to twenty-six years or thereabouts, involving the waiving of power rights under tho Washington Lord Cushendun urges that these reductions, if accepted, should be introduced to enable their effectiveness before replacement under treaty. He adds that the proposals are a. great step towards disarmament, and would ensure considerable economics. SOVIET’S NEW SCHEME. A HEARING POSTPONED. GENEVA, March 24. ’Flh* Soviet Delegation has distributed a new scheme for partial and progressive disarmament, comprising the reduction of land, sea and, air forces, also providing for the international control of disarmament. The scheme divides the countries into four groups, of which the countries possessing two hundred thousand troops will reduce them by half. The next group with forty thousand will reduce them by one-third. • The same system is applied to the navies. Thus the countries w.ith two hundred thousand tonnage would reduce it by half. The country with less than two hundred thousand tonnage would reduce it by a-quarter. The scheme also advocates the abolition within twelve months of all the military aircraft.

There is not the slightest chance of the scheme being discussed at the present session. It is generally felt that it had been' prepared before the Soviet delegates arrived at Geneva in the event of the earlier Soviet proposals -not being supported. Lord Cushendun in an interview with journalists, said he had in his possession, and could produce figures showing enormous expenditure thftt the Soviet incurred in furnishing China with arms, which wafc sufficient pj-oof of the Soviet’s' desire to provoke civil war. NEW JAP CRUISER. TOKYO, March 24. The first-class cruiser “Baguio,” was launched at the Mitsubishi dock yard at Nagasaki to-day. Prince Fushimi attended the. ceremony.