ARMS CONFERENCE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 20 February 1925, Page 5

ARMS CONFERENCE

ANOTHER PROPOSAL

FEELERS FROM AMERICA

CALL TO THE NATIONS. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION-COPVRIGHT. WASHINGTON, Feb. 18. The principal Powers have been approached by the United States on the subject of a new arms conference. The discussions have not yet got beyond the point characterised by diplomatists as “formal negotiations,” but they have been followed up quietly and persistently in all the principal capitals of the world. Officials here will not discuss what obstacles have been encountered or what measures of success appear to be held out by the exchanges of views up to the present. The State Department, after being advised of the announcement of a move made in the House of Commons by Mr Austen Chamberlain (the British Foreign Secretary) revealed that similar conversations have taken place in Paris, Tokio and other capitals. The feelers put out by Washington' are intended to ascertain whether there is any change in the attitude of the foreign countries who blocked at the time of the Washington Conference the limitation of any class of land or sea armament except capital ships. The first desire of President Coolidge is to secure an agreement that will end competition in auxiliary naval craft. He will also welcome the limitation of land armaments, but regards that as a European question. It is emphasised that the informal discussions now in progress do not mean a departure from the policy announced long ago.