NEW THESIS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 23 September 1927, Page 5

NEW THESIS

SECURITY AND DISARMAMENT A COMPOSITE PROPOSITION. LEAGUE LIKELY TO ACCEPT BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COB 1 RIGHT GENEVA, Sept. 21. The most important step of the present Assembly of tne League of Nations was taken when the Third Committee e.i snimonsly accepted a security and disarmament proposition combining - the Dutch, German and French proposals. Tins the contesting viewpoints dealing with arbitration, security, the resurrection of the principles of the Protocol and the general desire for disarmament have been reconciled. This omnibus resolution is expected to be accepted by the Assembly without opposition. The most important feature is that tlie new thesis conflicts with Sir Austr n Chamberlain’s outspoken refusal to commit the Empire to any further obligations, but the essential principle underlying the proposition is Sir Austen ’s own suggestion made on September 9 for the conclusion of regional pacts—a security like Locarno in manner.

The views regarding the thesis underwent a remarkable change in the afterlMi'on. The text of the proposition was available at noon. Its first reading led to the strong feeling by the British l(degates that the Empire would never accept it, but the speeches of the Third Committee removed the objections, as they emphasised its limitations. M. IHankevin said the Protocol methods were reconciled by the appointment of a new committee to study the extension of security by means of district treaties and arbitration, side by side with the Disarmament Commission’s work. The last paragraph of the resolution, which suggested that the Powers define the military, naval and other aid they would give in hypothetical cases of w-ar seemed at first imost objectionable. M. do Brouchkere, chairman of the subcommittee, however, dispelled the anxiety. He explained that it was only a suggestion put forward for consideration. Nobody contemplated a sort of circular letter inquiry. With this reassurance, Sir James Parr intimated New Zealand s acceptance of the whole scheme. A further assurance was given the S< nndanavian countries the the scheme in no way increased members’ obligations under the Covenant. The proposals adopted by the Third Committee were: — Firstly, the creation side by side with tin Preparatory Disarmament Commission of another committee, whose mission is to consider measures calculated to afford all States the guarantees of arbitration and security necessary to fl.- the level of armaments at lower figures. Seeondlv. inviting tne 'Council to request the'States to supply information of what measures they would be prepared to take, and what forces, naval, military and aerial, they would be prepared to employ in order to support the decision of the Council in the event if a conflict breaking out in any given region.