EUROPEAN SITUATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21763, 31 March 1934, Page 11

EUROPEAN SITUATION

DISARMAMENT ISSUE FRENCH ATTITUDE CHANGED GLEAM OF HOPE SEEN By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received March 30, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS. March 29 Observers see a gleam of liope in connection with disarmament in France's apparent perception that some sort of formula must be devised which, while recognising Germany's present rearmament, will not legalise it. France also lias modified her attitude in regard to security guarantees. PESSIMISTIC VIEW WORLD DRIFT TO WAR ONE WAY OF PREVENTION (Received March HO, 5.5 p.m.) TORONTO. March 29 " Drastic disarmament is the only way to prevent a new war," declared Mr. Philip J. Noel-Baker, formerly secretary to Mr. Arthur Henderson, president of the Disarmament Conference. He said he was convinced that the world was drifting to another conflict. ARMS CONFERENCE NiEXT BUREAU MEETING DISCUSSION BY LEADERS Britisih Wireless RUGBY. March 2S The chairman of the Disarmament Conference, Mr. Arthur Henderson, called on the Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, and the Lord Privy Seal, Mr. Anthony Eden, at the House of Commons this afternoon and discussed questions connected with the next meeting of the bureau—or steering committee —of the general commission of the conference. It will be recalled that the bureau was instructed to prepare a clean draft of the British draft convention incorporating the modifications contained in the documents since exchanged between the various Governments. STRAINED RELATIONS NAZIS AND LITHUANIA BAN IMPOSED IN MEMEL LONDON. March 21 According to the Berlin correspondent of the News Chronicle the relations between Germany and Lithuania are strained, owing to the latter's ban on the Nazi party in the disputed Memel territory and the imprisonment of eight of the leaders. The Lithuanian Government alleges that the Memel Nazis were planning a coup to restore the territory to Germany.

Germany denies this allegation and declares that the Lithuanian Government is attempting to uproot the large German population of Memel. Herr Schreiber, leader of the Memel German Party, asserts that Memel is overwhelmingly Nazi, and declares that a free poll would give Herr Hitler a big victory.