Disarmament

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XV, Issue 216, 11 December 1925, Page 5

Disarmament

Discussion at Geneva

FORCES BEHIND THE LEAGUE,

A THORNY QUESTION. l-By Cable—Press Association—Copyright.] , London, Dee. 10. Disarmament replaced Mosul at yes terday’s private sitting at Geneva. 1 hough it is gathered that tentative efforts at settlement are continuing, ibe position regarding disarmament is that the League proposes to appoint a preparatory commission to study questions which will be submitted in due .ionise to a disarmament conference.

The rock on which the Council threatened to split was the proposed investigation into the specifically plcdg<d war forces which the League would have at. its disposal against aggros sion. France wanted a stipulation that such forces would exceed those of any single Power. Britain refused to permit even the hypothetical question to be discussed.

As a result of frank conversations be tween feJir Austen Chamberlain and Al. Boneour there will be no immediate investigation of potential war forces, though Britain agreed to permit the commission to take into consideration the industrial position of ail countries, and also to study the extent of the financial and economic blockade which the League can recommend against aggressors. Tho ‘ 1 Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent affirms that America and Soviet Russia will be invited to nominate representatives’on the commission, and gives the items of a questionnaire the commission will study, examples of which are: (1) What is the precise meaning of armaments? (2) Is there a distinction between offensive and defensive armaments? (3) is there a means of differentiating civil from military aircraft? (4) How is the mercantile marine to be reckoned in estimating a country’s naval power?— (A. and N.Z.)