DISARMAMENT PLANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19236, 27 January 1926, Page 11

DISARMAMENT PLANS.

LEAGUE'S INVITATIONS. PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE. ACCEPTANCE BY GERMANY. By Telegraph—Pre-ss Association—Copyright. (Received 5.5 p.m.) Renter. BERLIN. Jan. 25. The German Cabinet has decided to accept the invitation sent by the League of Nations to Germany to participate in the preliminary Disarmament Conference which is to be held at Geneva. The preliminary Disarmament Conference referred to in the message is to be held by a Preparatory Committee, which will be formally convoked on the receipt of replies to the invitations sent to all nations, including Russia. The terms of reference are likely to he extensivo, and will include: A definition of armaments in all its branches; how far limitation is possible in each country, both during peace time and when in a state of war; tho powers of civil aircraft and mercantile marine as potential armaments; by what standards one Power's strength should be gauged against another; and the question of security in relation to disarmament. So far as is known questions directly dealing with Articles of the Covenant of the League will not bo touched upon. This will facilitate acceptance by those Powers who have not yet joined the League. So much will have to bo done by this Preparatory Committee that no full-dress conference is expected to tako place until the end of this year, or the early part of 1927.