NAVAL DISARMAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20924, 14 July 1931, Page 9

NAVAL DISARMAMENT.

FRANCO-ITALIAN IMPASSE. HOPES OF A SETTLEMENT. LONDON. July 12. The Rome correspondent of the Daily Telegraph states that most important developments in connection with the relations between France arid Italy are predicted as the result of week-end conversations between the United States Secretary of State, Mr. H. L. Stimson, and the Italian Prime Minister, Signor Mussolini, and Fox'eign Minister, Signor Grandi.

A Franco-Italian naval holiday is rumoured as a possible outcome. It is even suggested all the differences between the two Powers will have vanished within three months. This would have an important effect upon the Disarmament Conference,

GENEVA CONFERENCE.

MR. HOOVER TO ATTEND. INTERNATIONAL DEBT POLICY. WASHINGTON. July 12. The President of the United States, Mr. Hoover, has formally accepted an invitation from the League of Nations to attend tho Disarmament Conference at Geneva, to bo opened on February 2. He says he is planning a message setting out his views for a progressive programme of reduction of land and sea armaments.

Mr. Hoover will give an assurance that America js not disposed to hold the European nations which lack capacity to pay to the payment of debts, but he will insist upon placing them in the position that they cannot plead convincingly to America their incapacity to pay if they fail to reduce their armaments.

The leaders of the Republican Party expect to win the next Presidential election on this policy, which will be pushed to the furthest limit during the coming year.

PEACE MEETING.

APPEALS OF SPEAKERS.

BRITAIN'S LEAD TO NATIONS

British Wireless. RUGBY, July 12. In the address delivered by Field Marshal Sir William Robertson at the peace meeting in the Albert Hall over which he presided, he said that, speaking as one who had passed half a century in the study and practice of war, it was for the statesmen of the world to take advantage of the encouraging elements which existed to bring about the success of next year's Disarmament Conference.The Prime Minister, Mr. Mac Donald, said all parties and sections of opinion in Britain had come together at that unique gathering to manifest their support of one of the greatest causes which had ever enlisted the support of the peoples of the world. They should have no illusions about disarmament. However, they would require to be persistent and patient. It was essentially an international question. Alone one nation could pioneer, but alone one nation could not attain.

Mr Mac Donald reminded those present that disarmament was not the agitation of a coterie, but the aim to which Britain, with other nations, had pledged herself again and again in her international engagements. Therefore honour bound them to use all their power at the Disarmament Conference next February so that Britain should clear the way at the forefront of those who not merely sought pence but ensured it. Mr. Stanley Baldwin, Leader of the Conservative Party, said ho agreed with the Prime Minister that the nations were bound by treaty and honour to international disarmament. Many people, however, did not realise what Britain's contribution to disarmament had been. He took, for example, the Air Staff. With the advent of aerial warfare British insularity had gone for ever, yet after the war she virtually scrapped her Air Force, reduced more than 1000 machines to 300 and disbanded nine-tenths of the personnel. Air. Baldwin said he hoped the result of the Disarmament Conference would be the establishment of some sort of parity in the air forces of the Powers of Western Europe. He believed that the hope of Europe lay in the League of Nations, but the league was hampered by the absence from its membership of the United States.

The Liberal Leader, Mr. Lloyd George, said he %vas there to emphasise (he unity of all parties in Britain on the disarmament question. They must make every effort to teach and influence the minds of men in the direction of recognising the need for the application of the moral principles of individual conduct to the ;>olicy of the nations.