LONDON CONFERENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 107, 2 April 1930, Page 7

LONDON CONFERENCE

POLITICAL ASPECTS. FRENCH SECURITY DEMAND. SEARCH FOR FORMULA. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph —Copyright.) Received April 2, 11.5 a.m. LONDON, April 1. Mr Ramsay MacDonald stated in tho House of Commons to-day that the Government had no intention of undertaking any commitments going beyond the obligations of the Covenant of the League of Nations or the Treaty of Locarno. France had never asked Britain to do so. A rift in the clouds developed this morning, when the British spokesman announced that the political aspects of the conference would be further discussed by Mr Arthur Henderson and M. Briand, assisted by the British and French experts, in order to prosecute the search for a formula giving France the desired security within the scope of tho existing machinery for the maintenance of peace; also to strengthen such machinery. These conferences have already proceeded satisfactorily during the last 24 hours, and have been attended by distinct progress. REVIVAL OF HOPE. FIVE-POWER AGREEMENT. (British Official Wireless.) Received April 2,» 10.5 a.m. RUGBY, April 2. Mr Arthur Henderson to-day had an hour’s conversation with Signor Grandi in addition to his meeting with M. Briand and the experts, tho purposes being, to keep the Italian Government au courant with the AngloFrench discussion on tho political side of the conference. Senator Reid, of the American delegation, apd Mr A. V. Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty, also had a meeting this evening with reference, it is assumed, to the Japanese Government’s reply, although it is clear that much depends upon tho successful issue of the Anglo-French agreement on a formula. There was a distinct revival of hope to-day that the conference, which apparently has a three-Power agreement within its grasp, will yet succeed in achieving its original aim of. producing one acceptable to all five Powers. AMERICAN PROPOSALS. PRACTICALLY ACCEPTED BY JAPAN. Received April 2, 9.55 a.m. TOKIO, April 1. Instructions to London, replying to tho American proposals, have been approved of by the Cabinet, and have been submitted to the Emperor. They will be transmitted to London forthwith. , It is generally conceded that Japan is practically accepting the proposals with reservations regarding large cruisers and submarine tonnage.