THE LEAGUE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 5 September 1924, Page 9

THE LEAGUE

- EXTRA EDITION.

REDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS.

SPEECH BY MR. MACDONALD

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT

Received Sept. 5, 12.25 p.m. GENEVA, Sept. 4. Mr MacDonald opened the debate on the reduction of armaments with, a speech of an hour’s duration. He said lie would do his utmost to lay the ioundations of peace, and emphasised that all the delegations of which he was chief were determined to put all their ideas ,in a common pool.; Britain did not subscribe to the pact of mutual assistance, not because she was indifferent to public security, but because she felt that they had not yet properly prepared the soil. Britain wished to carry out every letter of. her obligation, but would not sign an indefinite proposal, which, if she tried to carry out, public opinion would probably make it impossible. But the last word had not been said in the pact. "We must have the whole world with us, he declared.' They could not afford to let Germany remain outside, the League. The London conference created a hew hplation and should bring Germany into the assembly. The matter should be take nup by this assembly. Russia had changed, arid the Anglo-Russian agreement was paving the wav for Russia to enter, the League. Dealing with the question of , security, Mr. MacDonald pointed out that the difficulty was .in establishing who was the aggressor.,. .He-dwelt on the system of arbitration and said:. “If we'are .unable to elaborate a proper system of arbitration, then we...must return to /military pacts. The pact should clearly define the nature of the obligation.”— Reuter. W Mr.; MacDonald emphasised that the optional arbitration clause should be thoroughly examined before Britain and the Dominions could give adherence to it. ‘ Arbitration was directed at the problem of armaments, and he pointed ■out, that' as regards naval armaments Britain had fulfilled the Washington agreement as she had fulfilled all agreements. The way must be prepared for a conference on armaments, as without Preparation the conference would be a 'failure. All nations must participate in that conference. The London agreement had helped to prepare the. way. Britain adhered to the covenant of the League and did not desire to deaken it. Certain articles in the covenant, could be embodied in the charter of Peace, and the matter should he referred to a committee before the assembly separated, wlrilo members worked to enlighten public opinion in their owri countries. M. Came rlvnek translated the whole speech into .French. Mr. MacDonald and M. Herriot warmlv shook hands before leaving the nsseriiblv, which adjourned till the afternoon .—Reuter.