DISARMAMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22257, 9 May 1934, Page 7

DISARMAMENT

THE BRITISH POLICY NOT SUFFICIENTLY VIGOROUS (Unltel Press Association.) . (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) • LONDON, May 8. (Received May 8, at 5.5 p.m.) In the House of Lords. Lord Ponsonby moved urging the Government to adopt a more vigorous; policy with regard to disarmament in the Far East. He said our submission to the Japanese demands had had an unfortunate effect throughout the world. The Government was behaving like a email Power of negligible influence and incapable of bold initiative.- '. . Viscount Cecil said he had not seen any country anxious to break peace, with the conceivable exception of Japan, in view of her ambiguous policy during the past two years. He did not believe it would break out in war, but it had reached a critical issue as to whether she intended to revert to pre-war international relations. The Government's policy with regard to the'League was insufficiently vigorous. Lord Stanhope, in reply, said that Britain could not take isolated action beyond what the League was prepared to do. The Government would continue to take the lead at "Geneva as long as there was a vestige of hope for a disarmament convention. It had naturally accepted Japan's'definite assurance that she intended to abide by the nine-Power treaty and the open door in Ghina.^ Lord Ponsonby withdrew his motion.