DISARMAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 28 April 1927, Page 9

DISARMAMENT.

DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY. l REVEALED BY PREPARATORY COMMISSION. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, April 27. The “Morning Post’s” Geneva correspondent says: “Striving to feign optimism, teie preparatory Disa'rmafment Commission has closed. The constructive results are chiefly a revelation of the almost insuperable diifisulties in the Avay of \ disarmament, or even of the limitation of armaments.

Everone admits that President Coolidge’s three-PoAver- naval conference in J une Avill largely determine whether the League’s seneme of real disarmament Avill advance further at the next meeting in NeA-ember” The president’s closing remarks today hardly concealed his pessimism and dissapointment. Count Bernstorff received pressmen after the conference had closed, Avhen lie declared that disarmament Avas the League’s true role, but the A’arious Governments’ instructions to their delegates showed little desire for actual disarmament. Germany’s objectrve Avas not the stabilisation of armaments, but a real reduction of the naval, military and air personnel and material.

AIR FORCE LIMITATIONS

THE BRITISH PROPOSITION

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 26. * Speaking at a banquet given by the Government to members of the International Conference on air navigation Sir Samuel Hoare said that the authorities in England had hitherto taken the view that the best hope of success for the restriction of air armaments was to move step by step, rather than to attempt at once the solution of the great and complicated problem. This was why the British representative at Geneva proposed to deal first with that side of the problem that was most urgent- and that appeared to be tmost simple, namely, the risk of the great cities of Europe from sudden attacks of air forces within reach of them. Other countries did not agree with England. They wished, rather, that all questions connected with air armaments be simultaneously taken into-ac-count. In defence to their wishes, the British Government had modified its original policy. “None the less,” said Sir Samuel, “I am nervous that it will he found that, when in the final stages the actual question of the" number-of machines comes to he -settled, this phase of the problem will force the nations to put in very high demands for their own requirements, or will stifle the whole problem in a maze of complexities. I hope I may be proved wrong“l need not say that, even though the views of the British Govenment have not been fully accepted at Geneva, we shall none- the less® try to work loyally on many points that may finally be approved.”