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Hokitika Guardian, 3 May 1934, Page 4

The volume of world trade was not increasing to any large extent, and until it did Britain could not hope to reabsorb the unemployed in very large numbers, ’ said Mr Eden, Lord Privy fcaal, in a recent speech. One of the leasuns why the Government was so persistent in trying to bring about a suoessful issue of tbe Disarmament Conference was because the nations of the world could have no better tonic than a successful issuF from the pro- , longed labours of that conference. What they wanted to create was more international confidence. They had more trade at home because there wrs more confidence, and there would be more trade across the seas when there was moie confidence, and there would not be more trade without it. That was the problem which lurked behind the disarmament problem itself. He neither regretted nor apologised for the efforts which the Government had made and was making to bring about the success of the Disarmament COll- - fere nee. Britain had more at stake in world pence than any other country because she was a nation of traders 'and needed peaceful conditions so'that industries might export and trade flourish. If the Disarmament Conference failed the consequence would be to strike a blow at the whole consultative system and at the League of I Nations itself. But the League was a I vital part cf world security. If the conference broke down miaiiy rations would have to reconsider the state of their own armaments. Britain should certainly have to do so, perhaps all the more seriously because of the drastic reductions already made. But no •amount of rearmament by itself could provide full security for any nation. Such securjtv as .armaments could provide was at its best only relative. An i all-round increase of armaments did not increase any nation’s security. , In so far as increased armaments in- ! crossed the power of aggression thev actually deem-sed the international sense of secip'itv. An armaments r r,n n woubl ho a s°d exchange for a wedost a Wished colectivo pc-ce system and f'H* <1 rvvpirrttive and respected League cf Nations.