DISARMAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 22 December 1933, Page 5

DISARMAMENT

DECLARATION BY HITLER INQUIRIES INTO REAL PURPOSE - 1 British Offloial Wireless) RUGBY, 21st December. The acting-Labour Leader, Mr Attlee, •*; asked the Foreign Secretary if lie would give any information as to tile progress “ made supplementary to and parallel.with tiie conversations which had taken plac'd with France and Germany. He also ask--ed what was the attitude of the Government regarding the suggested alteration in the constitution of the League of_ N;u,.'. lions. Sir John Simon remarked that there - had been very prompt and vigorous.' ef"-' forts from more capitals than one since Germany’s withdrawal from the DisaY-’'’ niament Conference. One of tiie most important things that had happened,' was ,'.", that Hitler had been making some declarations by wireless and other means! which, whatever we might think of their contents, were of very great moment-to tiie world and one declaration was of’ special interest to France. Almost atthe same time as Germany withdrew Hitler said:— “It would be of first importance for the two nations if Germany and France could once and for all ban the use of force from their common lives. No teiv ritorial conflict exists between the two ; countries as far as Germany is concerned once the Saar is returned.” • Tiie British Government, continued < Sir John, had been concerning themselves,.£ actively with what were the real pur---pose of those declarations. They had!... made it plain in making such inquiries that they were not expressing approval of some of the proposals which had been v thrown out or indicated. But it did'ap---. pear to them that it was certainly their duty to do their utmost to clarify the-*— situation and find out what was really V’. behind it. It appeared that on; the- poll- -- -- tical side of the technical question! of armament, Hitler had made propositions-— 1 ' which certainly were intended to be,for- ’" mal proposals, and that information-puby-lished that he was suggesting non-ag- : gressive pacts between Germany and her neighbours was justified., As the - Government- understgod it, the' propQSals' under that head did not confine themselves to one particular. neighbour, bjit’UJ were put forward ■ for consideration by - all Germany’s neighbours.. In dealing ' with the matter the Government had been very careful to indicate, that’,;they,.! had not forgotten the obligations which’,”, rested on members of the League, and..* therefore the form in which such pacts of non-agrgession might be cast- would .. * have to be considered in view of .the undoubted obligations which the Coven- - ant put on the parties to it. , FRENCH ATTITUDE The Government also had been in very close contact with those best informed on .. the French attitude. Inquiries and dis- ■ • missions between the various Govern-... ! ments and the capitals had been- going, •. on and were now continuing. Sir:John .! stated be would see the French -Foreign Minister in Paris, possibly to-morrow.. They were in constant communication ■ and it was extremely important they should get as closely together as, "they-'“ could in understanding how the sugges tions put forward by Germany fjpodin;' regard to the policy and requirements'of -o - Germany’s neighbours. It was rhinos'- " ' sible to make any explicit declaration when the conversations were being pursued. There was, however,‘ a moment coming when undoubtedly these different inquiries must be gathered together to see what result'they produced. It was hoped to resume the Disarmament Conference in January, when a statement. . must he made as to their results. He,," could not regard at this stage bilateral communications as other than an inter-;,'.:', mediate or preliminary stage, which ought to lead to a wider applicatibu. Be. '!', garding the inspection of armaments, lie';' understood the German goverment as - part of their general scheme were, propared to contemplate the. establishment - of an international’inspection, and;.con-, .... trol of armaments of all countries perio- : dically and automatically. .In this -re-;-. >, spect there undoubtedly had been ajTad,-; vance in public opinion generally.- Regarding the League of Nations,;Sir John ,; Simon reiterated that the British policy- • was unswervingly to stand by aiid-sup- i ,' port,the League. Whilst they observed .’!• the declarations made by foreign coun-; tries indicating a desire for a revision of the League, they had no reason to '. suppose any definite proposals were ' ing advanced. He did not know of any.---,