MISSION COMPLETED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20384, 12 October 1929, Page 11

MISSION COMPLETED.

MacDONALD DEPARTS.

WASHINGTON CAPTIVATED.

ENTHUSIASTIC FAREWELL.

NOW VISITING NEW YORK.

Australian Press Association —United Service

NEW YORK. Oct. 10,

The Prime Minister of Britain, Mr. Mac Donald, arrived at New \ork at 5.15 p.m. to-day from Washington. He will remain here three days. The formal acceptance by the United* States Government of Britain's invitation to take part in the Fivo Powers tfaval Conference in London in January coincided with Mr. Mac Donald's departure from the capital. Despatches from Washington state that Mr. Mac Donald, his mission of peace accomplished and his message of British goodwill delivered, bade farewell to that city and commenced his long homcwaid journey. Ilis sincority, which has so captured the imagination of official ant! unofficial Washington, was more apparonfc than ever in the head of the British Government as he bade goodbye to representatives of the President, Mr. at the station' beforo he left for Philadelphia. A" large crowd of people gathered to obtain a final glimpse of the Prime Minister. Miss Ishbel Mac Donald addressed them, saying sho was sorry to be leaving them. Washington had been captivated by the personality and frankness of Mr. MacDonald, and whorever he went he had been cheered iu the streets by all who recognised him. On the way to Philadelphia tho Prime Minister received an ovation at Baltimoie from several hundred people who greetod him and his daughter when they went on to the observation platform of their car during a stay of five minutes. A message from Philadelphia says Mr. Mac Donald arrived there before noon. He gave a luncheon to Dr. S. feolis-Cohen and the nurses who had tended him in the Jefferson Hospital when he was ill with bronchial trouble there in 1927. The treatment was so successful that Mr. MacDonald has never forgotten the services tho physician performed. Immediately after luncheon Mr. MacDonald proceeded to New York. (Thirtysix British war veterans formed two lines at the station through which he passed. He "shook hands with every man. In the station the crowd broke through the police cordon and surrounded Mr. MacDonald. who shook hands with all within his reach. The British Prime Minister said he was going away content. He was convinced that in the more congenial atmosphere created there would be satisfactory resuits from his conferences with Mr. Hoover. INTEREST IN GERMANY. land disarmament next. A PROBABLE ALTERNATIVE. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. BERLIN. Oct. 10. Tho Berlin newspapers are paving close attention to the conversations between Messrs. Hoover and Mac Donald. They express the opinion that they have reached very valuable results. In political circles there is great anxiety for the success of tho Five Powers Naval Conference as a prelude to land disarmament, Failing that, .it is believed to be certain that there will be a demand for permission to increase the German Army. WHITE HOUSE PARLEYS. ACHIEVEMENT FOR PEACE. CONTRIBUTION TO HISTORY. British 'Wireless. RUGBY. Oct. 10. The tone of the joint statement issued by Messrs. Hoover and Mac Donald indicates that a propitious atmosphere has been created for tho future consideration of technical problems the solution of which will materially advance the cause of disarmament. The statement pointed out that both leaders had been guided by the hope of settling the differences between their respective countries in regard to naval matters and so establishing unclouded goodwill, candour and confidence, and also of contributing something to the solution of the problem of peace, in which all the other nations are interested and which calls for their co-operation. The United States Government would never consent to become entangled in European diplomacy and the other was resolved to pursue its policy of active cooperation with its European neighbours, but each would' direct its thoughts and influence toward securing and maintaining the peace of the world. The co-opera-tion of the other Powers was essential to an agreement on naval armaments. Conversations with them would be continued in order to remove any difficulties bofore tho formal negotiations were begun. The statement said : " In view of tho security afforded by the Kellogg Pact we have been able to end, we trust for ever, all competitive naval building between ourselves with tho risk of war and of a waste of public money involved, by agreeing to the parity of our fleets category by category." Commenting on tho statement the Times says: A document jointly signed by an American President and a British Prime Minister is itself a contribution to history the significance of which needs no understanding. It is no catalogue of detailed conclusions, but a hopeful preface to a more intensive study of international relations in which disarmament will be linked with a fundamental resurvey of the functions of the fleets in future and of the conceptions of security which should properly determine them. No better achievement could have been demanded from these memorable meetings. ' .