THE CONFERENCE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 73, 10 March 1930, Page 5

THE CONFERENCE

THE PREMIER CONFIDENT OF SUCCESSFUL RESULT, IMPORTANT BROADCAST SPEECH. [British Official Wireless.! (Received 10,12.30 p.m.) Rugby, March 9. Confidence In an eventual agreement at the Naval Conference was displayed by the Prime Minister (the Rt, Hon. J. Ramsay MacDonald) to-night in a speech broadcast to American radio audiences and relayed from Chequers. his country residence.

He said that circumstances which none of the delegates could control, delayed progress for three weeks, during which time pessimistic rumours had been circulated. During the interval, the experts had been busy clearing up points which would have delayed the Conference later on. "During the week we have worked hard,” he said, ‘‘but not one-tenth so hard as we should have done bad there been any serious sign of tbe Conference failing. But the thought of failure is. not entertained at St. James’s Palace.’’

DISCUSSION 'OF PROGRAMME.

The Prime Minister said that they were now at work discussing the actual programme. These programmes were the test of their belief in peace. “Dp to this moment,” he added, “we have not met with any obstacle which looks as though it would continue to be unsurmountable. The technical experts alone will never get us over and through the ground, but in London the last word rests with the statesmen, and every one of, us is determined to get an agreement—an agreement not with two or three of us, but as agreement among the whole five of us. If you Mar one day that we are in difficulty, and another day that we have stuck that may well be so, but do not then Imag'ne us sitting down In despair. Rather picture us thinking and planning, proposing and arguing, trying to find new ways. We shall not give up till human ingenuity and patience have been exhausted and that is a long way on yet.

Tho Prime Minister recalled the joint statement which, during his American tour, he and President Hoover issued and which stated:— BRITAIN AND U.S. “The part of each of our Governments in the promotion of world peace will be different, as eno will never consent to become entangled in European diplomacy, and the other is resolved to pursue a policy of active co-operation with its European neighbours, but each of our Governments will direct its thoughts and influence towards securing and maintaining the peace of the world.” The Prime Minister said that thcr. had been no departure from that declaration. They would not agree to base any treaty which might result from the Conference on entangling military alliances, but some of them would strive to secure, as an essential part of the agreement, a pledge of goodwill and pacific intention similar to that made by the President and himself after they had convinced themselves that naval agreement was possible. Such a pledge ought to allow the programmes to be reduced to a minimum, if they had any confidence in jach other's signatures. The Prime Minister added that the British and American delegations were on the highway to eliminating their own differences ,and co-operat-ing most cordially in negotiation with the other Powers to overcome difficulties and to build up a naval agreement which would reduce building programmes abolish competition, put an end to distrust and menace, and create equilibrium in strength which would bring tranquility to the minds of the nations and lead to further results in the process of disarmament. The agreement would carry them on till 1936. FRENCH ACTIVITY. (Unitsd Pre-s Assoclation-By Cable-* Copyright.! (Received 10, 10.5 a.m.) London, March 9. M. Briand entertained the Rt. Hon. Arthur Henderson at luncheon and subsequently both drove to Stanmore to visit Colonel Stimson. It is believed that the conversations were directed to M. Briand’s pet project and securing British, and espoc-ally United States, participation in some sort of security agreement. M. Briand, on his return to London, admitted that the conversation included political topics and added that they were very complicated and might last all week. The “Sunday Tinies’s” diplomatic correspondent understands that in the event of a Five Power Pact providing mutual protection France might lower her tonnage demands as much as 50 per cent.