GENEVA

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 220, 3 September 1929, Page 5

GENEVA

LEAGUE’S TENTH SESSION FORMALLY OPENED BY PRESIDENT. BRITISH PREMIER ADDRESSES JOURNALISTS. [United Press Association—B.v Cable— Copyrigfit.l lAuetralian and N.Z. Press Association.! (Received 3, 10.30 a.m.) Geneva, September 2. The League s tenth session was formally opened by the President, the Persian, Mirza Mahcmmed Khan Farughi. FACETIOUS TRENCH COMMENT. [Australian and N.Z. Press Association.; (Received 3, 9.30 a.m.) Geneva, September 2. Perhaps as a tilt at the League's verbosity compared with Locarno and lhe Hague achievements, a French versifier hailed the opening of the Tenth Assembly as the beginning of a “season for great orations and peace for all.” “The Hague,” ho said, “is now nothing more than a cloister.” He facetiously added The Hague menu, including “Pudding, John Bull with a new sauce,” and he added the postscript- “Snowden, of Holland, will conduct the orchestra.” As a matter of fact, nobody today wanted speeches or music. The overcrowded Salle de Reformation, which tries to reform everything but its own appalling ventilation, was an unsufferable spot in one of Geneva’s worst days of fierce, moist heat. Conditions were made worse by the glare of the arc lamps for taking talking films to supplement the ordinary films taken at the entrance door, where the Rt. Hon. J. Ramsay MacDonald, Mr Henderson and M. Briand had outstanding welcomes. The formal proceedings were soon over.

MR MACDONALD’S SPEECH. The chief event of the day was Mr MacDonald's mid-day address to international journalists. He said that the 1924 protocol had gone the way of many other instruments, but had been the beginning of a new spirit of hope among the nations, and had paved the way for peace. What had Been impossible in 1924 he hoped would be achieved in 1929 in the shape ot real work for peace. Incidentally, he strongly emphasised that Geneva had superseded written negotiations by personal contact.

THR WASHINGTON VISIT. It seemed, he said, a little uncertain whether, after all, he would be able to go to Washington in October owing to the difficulties of the head of a Government without a majority leaving the House of Commons, in the provisional agreement which General Dawes and he hoped to fashion, not merely an Anglo-American naval agreement would be provided, but it would be dovetailing into a greater scheme of disarmament of the sea and land forces throughout the world.

THE OPTIONAL CLAUSE. His closing reference was most important to tho Dominions. Ho did not desire to anticipate his own speech in the Assembly, but Labour felt that the British signature to the optional clause for arbitration in international questions was necessary if arbitration were to become a general habit among the peoples Mr MacDonald did not mention the reservations which Australia and New Zealand were unitedly demanding, These were the subject of a’ private conference between tho Empire delegates this evening.

THE NEW PRESIDENT. lAustrallan and N.Z. Press Association.) (Received 3. 11.35 a.m.) Geneva, September 2. The Assembly elected the San Salvador delegate, Senor Querre, as President of the Assembly. MEETING OF EMPIRE DELEGATES. [Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) (Received 3, 8.55 a.m.) Geneva, September 2. Last night a full meeting of the Empire delegation was held. It was cordial and amicable, and only incidentally touched on the optional clause, postponing decision to a further meeting to-day or tomorrow. ANGLO-U.S. CONVERSATIONS.

[Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) (Received 3, 10.30 a.m.) Geneva, September 2. Mr MacDonald, at Geneva, denied that the Anglo-American naval conversations were aimed against any country. SIGNING OF OPTIONAL CLAUSE. [Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) (Received 3, 1.50 p.m.) Geneva, Sept. 3. After Mr MacDonald had met the Dominion delegates this afternoon, Mr Marr (Australia) made tho statement: “Tho Prime Minister intimated that the British Government intended to sign the optional clause during tho present session of Parliament. He had been in communication with the various Governments in other parts of tho British Commonwealth, who had expressed their willingness to sign concurrently with Britain.’’ Mr Marr said he could not bind the Commonwealth, but had communicated tho purport of Mr MacDonald’s speech to Australia and was awaiting instructions. There had been no discussion of the specific subjects of reservation, but such discussion was likely to bo protracted.