WORK TO PROCEED

Northern Advocate, 18 October 1933, Page 7

WORK TO PROCEED

' GENEVA CONFERENCE ALARMIST VIEW DECRIED. NO PRECIPITATE ACTION. (British OiTlcial Wireless.) (Received 1-. MO p.m.) REG BY, October 17. Although the gravity of Germany’s decision in regard to disarmament is generally recognised, it has not led to a demand for precipitate action. Newspapers approve the decision reached at Geneva yesterday that, alter a brief adjournment, the Bureau and the General Commission should meet again next week. At present there is no question of abandoning the work ot‘ the Disarmament Conference, and in a bioadcast address from Geneva last night, Mr Arthur Henderson strongly urged that it was vital that the couterenee should continue its work to produce a genuine convention. A brief reference was made to Germany’s action by Mr Neville Chamberlain, Chancellor of the. Exchequer, in a speech at Nottingham last, night. He said: “The British Government made a great effort to restore that confidence to which nothing could have contributed more powerfully to the adoption of a disarmament convention such as proposed recently by the British Foreign Secretary at Geneva.

“Wo must, tliorol’oro, deeply regret the precipitate and 111-judged. action ot the Gorman Govornmont, because the proposals made by Sir John Simon, which havo received general support, not only of Franco, hut also of the United States and Italy, were specifically dcsiignod to give Germany complete equality of .treatment within a reasonable period. “The situation requires the calmest and most deliberate consideration, and all would do well to refrain from hasty comments and from alarmist speculations. ”

Mr George Lansbury, Loader of the Parliamentary Opposition, in a speech, urged that the British Govornmont should take the load in demanding general disarmament. Ho said: “Wo Avho belong to the ponce movement cannot for a moment, consent to the re-arma-ment of Germany. On this question there ought not. to be the slightest, division of opinion among any of us.”’ Sir John Simon and Captain Anthony Eden have reached London. Sir John Simon stated that it Avas on October fi that the German Charge d’Affaires in London communicated to him Germany’s “observations” on the dis armament situation. A similar communication Avas made at the same time in Romo, but not to the French or the United States GoA*ornments, aaJioso representatives had taken part in earlier oonA’ersations. These “observations” seriously alfected the situation, and immediately after the hearing communicated them to the French and Italian Ambassadors in London.