DISARMAMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 154, 15 June 1932, Page 7

DISARMAMENT

ARCHBISHOP’S PROTEST ISSUES AT GENEVA NEED FOR SPEEDING UP (British Official Wireless.) (Received 15, 12.30 p.m.) Rugby, June 14. The Archbishop of York and several of his episcopal colleagues, in a letter to the Press, expresses disappointment that up to the present no progress has been made at the Geneva Conference towards serious disarmament, and expresses the fear unless a definite and effective policy is adopted by the Powers at the Conference within the next few days, a breakdown may be difficult to avoid. The signatories of the letter press for a substantial reduction of those armaments which are by treaty prohibited to Germany.

Mr. Arthur Henderson stated yesterday that the moment had come when great decisions must, and would, be made.

A STRAIGHT ISSUE. The “Times” points out that it cannot be too emphatically stated that these decisions can only be taken by responsible representatives of the leading nations. The experts must do their part. They have the principal data, and the question they have to answer is really very simple: Are the other Governments of the world prepared, to apply to their own cases in whole or in part the limitations of armaments imposed on vanquished countries after the war? Are they ready to abolish, curtail or internationalise their own use of weapons which were declared to be of an especially offensive character in 1919 —the largest warships, the largest guns, tanks, submarines and aeroplanes? In these days, adds the “Times,” the national impoverishment of most countries would probably warmly welcome the opportunity to reduce their budgets by any commonly agreed proportional plan. At a private meeting of the Disarmament Conference Procedure Committee, a resolution was adopted the effect of which is to suspend the main work of the Conference until the conclusion of the discussions now taking place between representatives of the big powers. MINISTERIAL CONVERSATIONS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 15. 12.30 p.m.) Rugby, June 14. M. Herriot called on Mr. MacDonald this morning, and they resumed their study of the documents relative to the Lausanne Conference. Statesmen in Geneva spent to-day mainly in informal conversations. Mr. MacDonald and Sir John Simon were the luncheon guests of Mr. Hugh Gibson, chief United States delegate to the Disarmament Conference, and in the afternoon conferred with Signor Grandi.