PROBLEMS OF NATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19736, 8 September 1927, Page 11

PROBLEMS OF NATIONS.

CHAMBERLAIN'S VIEWS. SECURITY AND ARMS. BRITISH AIMS EXPOUNDED, By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received September 7, 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z.-Sun. GENEVA, Sept. 6, The British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Sir Austen Chamberlain, in an interview, said Canada's candidature for a non-permanent seat on the Council of the League of Nations was more interesting to the Empire than to any other State. He said he would have great pleasure in supporting tho claim oi* Canada.

Questioned regarding Poland's proposed non-aggression pacts, Sir Austen said the covenant of the League already gives security. In addition there were local agreements as to eastern and western European boundaries, under the terms of which the parties had solemnly undertaken not to resort to aggression. It was difficult to imagine what further security could be given.

A new agreement would be the height of impolicy. It would seem to underestimate the, strength of the securities already existing. • It might, indeed? subtract from them. Sir Austen said he did not know whether the Assembly would desire a resolution recommending an extension ol the Locarno agreements to other parts of the world, as it had done in 1926. Ii so he would gladly co-operate. Britain had carried the limitation of her land forces to an extreme point compatible with her obligations. She would gladly have seen tho Washington naval limitations extended, both in respect to tho classes of 'ships agreed to at Washington and other classes. The recent naval conference had failed, but it had brought them nearer to an agreement. He had always held, with Viscount Cecil, that progress must be slow. The first great conference could not yield a final and complete scheme. Probably there would bo many conferences before the measure of disarmament Britain would like could be reached. The essence of • disarmament was moral disarmament. He was opposed to feverish impatience which demanded that something should be dono without knowing what could usefully be done. Let them be sure what they wanted first. SURPRISE AT GENEVA. TARIFFS AND DISARMAMENT. DUTCH MINISTER'S VIEWS. (Received September 7. 0.Q5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. GENEVA, Sept. 6. Sir Austen Chamberlain expressed the opinion to Dominion journalists that the present session of the Assembly of tho League of Nations was likely to bo useful but not in the least sensational. Within two hours afterwards M. Van Blokland, Dutch Foreign Minister, delivered a speech in the Assembly which quickly filled the vacant places and made everyone " sit up and take notice." M. Van Blokland, in his speech, traversed the whole question of disarmament. He said the failure to carry out the recommendations of the Economic Commission in favour of reduced duties kept alive a constant source of friction, one which had often eventually led to war. He finally tabled a resolution declaring that the time had come to re-study, not the actual old Geneva Protocol, but its underlying principles of security, arbitration and disarmament Sir Austen Chamberlain and the French Foreign Minister, M. Briand, followed the speech closely, and the former took many notes. The Assembly was adjourned.