DISARMAMENT NO NEARER

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12455, 25 May 1926, Page 7

DISARMAMENT NO NEARER

FEAR DOMINATES PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE ITALY OPPOSES ANY CONTROL PLATONIC DISCUSSIONS DEEMED FUTILE BY OBSERVERS By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. (Received May 24, 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, May 24. The “Daily Express” correspondent at Geneva states that the French have won a signal success at the preliminary conference on disarmament, but may wreck the ultimate conference. M. Paul Boncour managed to secure the insertion of a plan to base the limitation of armaments on the potential power of nations to arm. The Poles, Belgians, Argentinians, and Italians supported France, which thus had a majority. Italy voted as she did, because she is resolutely opposing any control of armaments. There is really a careful plot among certain nations to hinder disarmament. The United States delegation, seeing the futility of platonic discussions, leading nowhere, is likely to refuse to attend the ultimate conference on disarmament, which will thus collapse, as Japan will then reconsider her position. The trouble is due to fear dominating the whole of the present conference. TOKIO, May 23. The Japanese military authorities strongly oppose America’s suggestions regarding disarmament, particularly the abolition of conscription. Owing to a voluntary army being more expensive than a conscript one, America, being wealthy, can afford it, but Japan is unable to do so.