DISARMAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 17 March 1928, Page 5

DISARMAMENT.

THE PREPARATORY COMMISSION CONSIDERING SECURITY REPORT. BT CABLE—r-ItESS ASSOCIATION—COPVBIOHI GENEVA, March 16. There was a quiet opening of the fifth session of the Preparatory Disarmament Commission. The most notable feature is Turkey’s first participation. Dr. Johnkeer, Holland, who is presiding, seemed to give a lead when he said the session must decide whether the .Soviet scheme for the abolition of all armaments takes sufficiently into account the actual state of the world’s affairs

The commission adjourned to enable the membere to study the security report. Germany has tabled a proposal that all States deposit with the League a complete inventory of armaments and information regarding industries which can be utilised for war purposes.

CAPITAL SHIPS AND SUBMARINES

ABOLITION ADVOCATED

LONDON, March 15. The Labour member for Clackmannan, Air L. MacNeiil Weir, to-day. urged the Government to initiate proposals ior an international agreement to abolish capital ships and submarines and to reduce cruisers to the size necessary for police purposes. An Anglo-American armament race was now threatened, declared the lit. Hon. C. P. Trevellyan, another Labour member. The most important American document since Air. Woodrow Wilson’s declaration of war in 1917 was Mr. F. B. Kellogg’s appeal to the world for a treaty renouncing war. If Britain led the way to disarmament - , other Powers would follow.

It was a great mistake that the Washington Conference had fixed the size of the largest cruisers as high as 10,000 tons, said the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. W. C. Bridgeman, in reply. If a lower figure had been fixed there would have been much less trouble.