INTERNATIONAL ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21627, 23 April 1932, Page 11

INTERNATIONAL ARMY

THE FRENCH PROPOSAL -DISCUSSIONS AT GENEVA. (British Official Wireless.) ( RUGBY, April 21. Geneva to-day has been the meeting place of many leading statesmen.' M. Tardicu returned there unexpectedly from Paris by the train which brought the British Prime Minister. The two Prime Ministers, together with Dr Bruening, Mr H. L. Stimson, Signor Grand!, and Sir John Simon, had lunch together as the guests of Lord Londonderry and held private conversations at various times. At the Disarmament Conference, which they attended, the General Commission continued the debate on qualitative disarmament and on the French plan for an international army to bo placed at the disposal of the League, which M. Boncour had defended. He was criticised by several 1 later speakers, including the South African delegate (Mr C. T. le Water), who likened it “to turning the sword not into ploughshares, but into tanks.”

Sixteen countries supported Sir John Simon’s proposal calling for the prohibition of certain instruments of war, but to-night M, Titulcscu (Rumania) presented a counter-resolution in the name of 14 countries who were not specified, but it is understood include France, which, while favouring the principle of qualitative reductions of aggressive armaments, advocated that the question of whether these should be abolished or placed in the service of the League should be discussed later. The commission adjourned until tomorrow without voting.

MR RAMSAY. MACDONALD.

CORDIAL WELCOME ON RETURN.

GENEVA, April 21

Mr MacDonald’s entrance caused a flutter of excitement. The first to greet him was Litvinoff, who walked up and gave him a cordial handshake.