BRITAIN AND LEAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20441, 18 December 1929, Page 17

BRITAIN AND LEAGUE.

NATURE OF COMMITMENTS.

REDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS. British Wireless. 1 RUGBY, Dec. 16. In the House of Commons Mr; W: H. Ayles (Labour) asked the Prime Minister, Mr. MacDonnld, whether Britain had commitments to the League of Nations or to the British Empire which prevented the House of . Commons itself from coming to any conclusion it desired on disarmament. Mr. Mac Donald replied that Article VIII. of the Covenant of the League of Nations enjoined on member States, and consequently on tho British Government, the reduction of their armaments to the lowest point consistent with national safety and their enforcement, by common action, of international obligations. Another article of the Covenant imposed obligations to join in action for the common enforcement of certain undertakings. Britain's commitments, as regarded tho Empire, were dictated by tho needs /if self-defence.

Mr. Ayies asked whether the Government. believed there was still a margin, so far as British armaments were concerned, that could be reduced down to what the Prime Minister, had said was the level of national safety, and if not why should he go into a disarmament conference.

Tho Prime Minister replied : " It is because there may be that margin to bo discovered only by international agreement that we are going into the conference."