EXCHANGE OF IDEAS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 270, 14 October 1932, Page 7

EXCHANGE OF IDEAS

DISARMAMENT PROBLEM. M. HERRIOT IN LONDON. FRIENDLY SPIRIT SHOWN. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received October 14, 12.10 p.m. RUGBY, Oct. 13. The Anglo-French conversations on the disarmament problem occupied several hours at Downing Street and will be resumed to-morrow. Mr Ramsay MacDonald and M. Herriot spent an hour together alone, after which they were joined by Sir John Simon and the French Ambassador, M. de Fleuriau. An interim communique that was issued described the conversations as informal and stated, that they related to “difficulties that have arisen as regards further progress in disarmament.” The conversations were resumed later in the afternoon and lasted two hours. It was announced that these had been marked by a very friendly spirit and they would be continued at 10 o’clock to-morrow, after which a full communique will be issued. M. Herriot intends to leave London to-morrow afternoon at 4 o’clock. To-night Sir John Simon gave a dinner party at Claridgo’s in honour of the French Premier, Mr Ramsay MacDonald being amongst those present. It is understood that nothing occurred to-da.y to affect the proposal put forward by the British Government, and accepted in principle by France, Germany and Italy, that a Four Power Conference be held in the near future. The purpose of to-day’s sitting was in no sense to negotiate, but merely to allow a frank exchange of ideas as to the methods of removing the obstacles which have impeded the general disarmament negotiations. There was no desire or intention to do work which should properly be done by the League or which the Disarmament Conference is undertaking. The purpose of the Premiers rather is to assist the Disarmament Conference to go on functioning. To-day’s conversations were guided solely by that purpose.