GENEVA CONFERENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21542, 14 January 1932, Page 7

GENEVA CONFERENCE

i THE DISARMAMENT PROBLEM | CANADA’S DELEGATION. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) OTTAWA, January 12. Sir George Perley, Mr Maurice Dupre, and Miss M. W. Kidd (Montreal), president of the National Council of Women, will represent Canada at the Geneva i Disarmament Conference. 1 Mr E. B. Bennett (Prime Minister) announced to-day that a petition containing the names of nearly 500,000 Canadians, asking for disarmament, was pre'sented in the Senate Chamber. The petition, which weighs nearly a quarter of a ton, was transported to Parliament Buildings in a motor truck. /

Speaking at Birmingham on November 11, two days after his appointment as {Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, jSir John Simon declared his faith in the League of Nations and his belief in tthe need of disarmament. He said: i "I claim to be, and 1 am, a League Nations man. I hold that the international policy of Britain should be inspired by the ideals which lie at the Ibase of the League. I believe the interests of our land and our Empire are best served by observing that spirit, lind I hold that the States of the world Should work together for the peaceful settlement of disputes and for the promotion of economic co-operation. Even Bf one were to take lower grounds and donfined oneself to a practical calculation of the interests of one own country and the needs of the world, the position one would take up would be the same. J’or, lie assured of this, unless civilisation finds some means to reduce the crushing burden of armaments by common action, unless it finds some rjiethod by which it can curb the suspicions and the rivalries which some T dimes poison the international atmosphere, civilisation itself may be overwhelmed in a final catastrophe.

j “I believe we are all convinced that whatever may be the iron necessity or tlie imperious duty which leads a nation iiito a war, whatever may be the record tif heroism which survives the war, modern war, on the great scale of modern inflicts its frightful punishment not only on the vanquished, but on the uictors too, with consequences, as we sise now, which strike a shattering blow n|ot only at those who take part, but at ai later generation, growing up to-day—-young people, boys and girls —innocent, who had no part or lot in the strhggle. j “ You may escape disaster, you may vindicate your country’s word, you may ciame to the help of the oppressed, you may save humanity from greater misBortune, but' when you have done it all, in its upshot and its outcome victor and vanquished, civilian and soldier, baby and aged, all alike are involved in the frightful calamity that ensues, i “ All-round reduction of armaments, to and carried out by the great Rations of the world in common, would bo a far greater security for the future world peace as well as a priceless relief financial burdens. And in this njatter we are entitled to claim that Bjritain has set an example and made her contribution.”