DRAFT CONVENTION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 80, 16 March 1933, Page 8

DRAFT CONVENTION

AVOIDANCE OF WAR MR MACDONALD'S EFFORTS. GENEVA PARLEYS. London, March 15. It is understood that Mr MacDonald is preparing to draft a convention embodying the prohibition of certain war materials, the signatories undertaking not to resort to force in the settlement of international disputes. Correspondents agree that a meeting between Mr MacDonald and Signor Mussolini is practically certain during the week-end, probably at Stiesa, “lhe Times’’ says that the meeting is desirable and the sooner the better. A genuine understanding icgardiiig the present policy between the head of the Fascist State and the British Prime Minister might yet turn the activities »f the Disarmament Conference into fruitful channels and prepare the way for a successful World Conference. WARNING TO FRANCE AND BRITAIN. Paris, March 14. Likening the Disarmament Coufere uce to a casino m which every nation is playing a game for the maintenance of its own political prestige, M. Henri Berenger, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Senate, warns I rance and Britain to hold on to their decisive forces otherwise there will be no way of escaping a conflagration. M. Berenger expresses the opinion that Air MacDonald and M. Boneour can achieve nothing useful for peaqe at the Geneva Disarmament Conference, which is the hybrid daughter of Americanism and the League of Nations and at last has been forced to unveil its original sins. Newspapers criticise Mr MacDonald some describing him as a go-between in the efforts of Germany and Italy to blackmail France. They reiterate that in the face of a united and passionate Germany it is impossible to reduce the only force in Europe capable of making an aggressor think twice. All papers agree that disarmament is definitely doomed. GERMAN VIEW UNALTERED. Berlin, March 14. Sir Horace Rumbold discussed with Baron von Neurath the present situation, with special reference to disarmament. Baron von Neurath replied that Germany’s attitude was unaltered. She expected others to disarm and that she would be given full equality. The French Ambassalor called ou Baron von Neurath and protested against the event at Kehl. Baron von Neurath declared that the protest was unfounded. The Versailles Treaty had not been infringed and precaution was merely taken for the maintenance of order.