FOREIGN OUTLOOK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22005, 11 January 1935, Page 9

FOREIGN OUTLOOK

CABINET DISCUSSION MEETING IN LONDON REARMAMENT OF GERMANY NEGOTIATIONS EXPECTED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received January 10, 6.35 p.m.) LONDON. Jan. 10 The Cabinet last evening discussed foreign affairs for three hours. The Daily Telegraph's diplomatic correspondent states that Sir John Simon, Foreign Secretary, reviewed recent developments. The Cabinet was well satisfied with the outcome of the Rome negotiations and considered them a basis on which new disarmament dispussions may be opened informally at Geneva at the end of the week. Ministers noted the fact that the French Cabinet apparently is prepared to approach the subject in a , more realistic manner than its predecessor. It is admitted that it may be difficult to secure Germany's- acceptance of the minimum strength with which she would have been satisfied a year ago. It is anticipated that the negotiations will extend over several months but the atmosphere is more favourable than at any time for three years. The Daily Herald states that the French Foreign Minister, M. Laval, is preparing on behalf of the Powers an offer to legalise Germany's rearmament, with limitations, subject to her return to Geneva and joining both the Eastern and Danube pacts. POLICY OF BRITAIN LEAGUE AS THE BASIS WORLD PEACE THE OBJECT British Wireless BT7GBY, Jan. 9 Reference was made to the FrancoItalian agreement by the Lord Privy Seal, Mr. Anthony Eden, in his speech at Edinburgh last evening. He said it was a good start for the New Year, in which much work remained to be done.

An almost imperceptible change was taking place and a new order in the world was being evolved. In years gone by Britain's foreign policy had been often criticised abroad as being exclusively concerned with the balance of power. If Britain's policy was the policy of the balance of power, it was only because it seemed to her statesmen at that time the best, and indeed the only, means of ensuring peace. Now the balance of power was no longer the basis of Britain's foreign policy." Her policy was based on the League of Nations, and on the principle of a collective peace system. There was, in truth, an immense change in outlook.

Balance of power meant the maintenance of peace by the adjustment of force. A collective peace system meant the abolition of force and the substitution of the authority of the law. That was the immense change which was taking place now in foreign affairs. That change not yet universally effective, but British policy was to make it so, and in that work lay the significance of the task, which in importance had scarcely been paralleled in British history. It could not be realised in a day that there had been setbacks, and that there would be others, but gradually progress was being recorded. Last year saw a reaj advance, and Mr. Eden said he was hopeful that 1935 would see a still further step, perhaps a decisive step, toward a new order which would bring peace to the people for all time.