Notable Declaration at Geneva

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 May 1933, Page 8

Notable Declaration at Geneva

i AMERICA ACCEPTS BRITISH r ARMS PLAN. FRANCE NOT SATISFIED. British Official Wireless. RUGBY, May 22. The attitude of the United States toward the problems before the Disarmament Conference was revealed in a speech by the United States envoy (Mr Norman Davis) at a meeting of the General Committee of the Conference at Geneva this afternoon.

Features of the United States pronouncement were a whole-hearted acceptance of the British plan now before the Conference, an undertaking to consult with other nations if peace was threatened, a promise that if the United concurred in the judgment of the Conference of States as to the aggressor, she would refrain from action tending to defeat measures that might be taken to restore peace; a willingness to participate in disarmament supervision, such control to be effective, automatic, and permanent; insistence on the territorial status quo, and opposition to rearmament. The British Foreign Secretary (Sir John Simon) welcomed the speech, Which he described as most encouraging and hopeful, and expressed great satisfaction at the acceptance of the draft convention. He urged that work on a practical basis should be pressed forward. The time had come to end theoretical declarations of good intentions, and to' replace them with definite decisions, “It is now time to cash the cheques we have already drawn.”

M. Paul-Boncour (France) suggested that Part One of the convention, dealing with security, should forthwith be discussed, but Mr Davis suggested that, in view of his declaration regarding the United States ’ action in case of conflict, time need not be wasted on Part One.

M. Boncour did not accept this view, and the pieeting adjourned until to-morrow afternoon, the Bureau in the meantime meeting 'to fix the agenda. Security First FRANCE’S INSISTENCE , AWKWARD SITUATION LONDON, May 22. In a significant passage, Mr Davis said: * ‘The situation admits no further, delay. Nations must either go forward in good faith and carry out the disarmament policy adopted in 1919, or we must frankly recognise its abandonment and reconcile ourselves to reverting to an armament race, leading inevitably to another war.” An awkward situation followed the chairman, Mr Henderson’s, acceptance of M. Paul-Boneour’s suggestion to proceed to the consideration of Part 1 dealing with security. Mr Davis intervened, protesting that time should not be wasted on that, thus disconcerting the French, who interpreted Mr Davis’s attitude to mean that they must be satisfied with vague American promises of collaboration over a consultative pact, while France makes real sacrifices in material and effectives. Mr Henderson relieved a strained situation, by adjourning the meeting.