MUCH IMPROVED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 252, 21 September 1933, Page 7

MUCH IMPROVED

DISARMAMENT CONVENTION LIKELY. BRITISH MINISTERS IMPRESSED. “AGREEMENT SENSIBLY NEAR”(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received September 21, 11.30 a.m. RUGBY, Sept. 20. Sir John Simon and Captain R. A. Eden will leave London either to-mor-row or Friday for Geneva. They will break their journey in Paris, where they will see the French Ministers who took part in tho conversations with Captain Eden and Lord Tyrrell earlier this week. A full report of the Paris conversations was presented to the special meeting of Cabinet held at Downing Street. Their purpose was mainly explanatory and exploratory. The British Cabinet to-day, for the first time, was in a position to understand what the French Government have in mind on every point which arrives in connection with the disarmament problem. It is understood that the British Ministers were much impressed by their helpful and reasonable attitude and it was found that the views of the two Governments do not largely differ on any question. The British Government are at present considering the Disarmament Convention in relation to the French proposals regarding supervision and the inspection of armaments, but that is only one of the points which must be considered in relation to the whole Disarmament Conference and upon which no one Government can alone reach a decision. In Geneva next week conversations will take place in which the Italian, American and German representatives will also take part. Within the last week or two Mr Norman Davis, the chief American delegate, has discussed the points at issue with the British Ministers in London and the French Ministers in Paris, while the Italian Government has also contributed helpful suggestions. The general effect is that an agreement has, within recent weeks, been brought sensibily nearer. Although many difficult points are still outstanding, the chances of securing a Disarmament Convention have undergone a distinct improvement since the conference adjourned last June. CABINET’S EMERGENCY MEETING. ON HORNS OF DILEMMA. BRITAIN AND DISPUTANTS. LONDON, Sept. 20. The fact that an emergency meeting of Cabinet is being held to-day is sufficient indication of the urgency oi* the disarmament discussions. _lt is understood that the conversations at Paris centred mainly on the French plan for regular and compulsory supervision of national armaments at six months intervals over a trial period of years, after which the French Government would agree to a disarmament measure if the agreement were meanwhile observed. The British United Press Paris correspondent says that Mr Norman Davis, the United States representative, delivered a verbal message from President Roosevelt to the French Premier, M. Daladier: “Enough of killing time 1 What does France want ?” The diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Express suggests that France is prepared to withdraw from the Disarmament Conference if her demands are not accepted. Britain is thus in a predicament, because if she agrees to France’s proposals, then an angry Germany is likely to break up the conference. France’s object in proposing an armament standstill with, supervision is to provide means of really testing Germany’s disarmament. INSPECTION PROPOSAL. ARSENALS AND DOCKYARDS. LONDON, Sept. 20. The Daily Herald says the British Services strongly oppose the idea of inspection of arsenals and dockyards, but unless their objections are overruled by Cabinet the fate of the Disarmament Conference seems to be sealed.