DISARMAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3518, 16 August 1921, Page 16

DISARMAMENT.

BRITISH REPRESENTATION. PRIME MINISTER’S ANNOUNCEMENT. PARIS, August 8. Mr LI oyd George informed British and American journalists that he would not be able to attend the Washington Conference. Mr Lloyd George’s announce.pent in Paris that he will not attend the Washington Conference surprised London Government circles, which attribute his decision to the enormous accumulation of work requiring his personal attention during the autumn. It is further suggested that the anticipated developments 'n the Irish situation has caused the Prime Minister to change his mind. Some people are inclined to associate the cliannre of plan with the possibility of a general election in the autumn. Reuter’s Agency is authorised to state that neither the delegation nor the Embassy has made any statement legardmg Mr Lloyd George’s intentions in the matter of going to America. Moreover, Mr Lloyd George has received no American journalists. LONDON, August 9. The Daily Chronicle’s Paris correspondent says that Mr Lloyd George has not informed journalists that he is not going to Washington. “I am informed,” he says, ‘that Mr Lloyd George intends to accept President Harding’s invitation to '"visit Washington as the official British representative.” FORMAL INVITATIONS DESPATCHED. WASHINGTON, August 11. President Harding’s formal call to the Disarmament Conference has been despatched to the various Powers. The text of President Harding’s invitation reads as follows:—“The President is deeply gratified at the cordial response to the suggestion that there should he a conference on the subject of the limitation of armaments, in connection with which the Pacific and Far Eastern questions can also be discussed. The staggering economic burdens of productive labour are too heavy to be borne unless the present vast public expenditures are greatly reduced. It is idle to anticipate stability, an assurance of social justice and security, and peace while the wasteful, non-productive outlays deprive labour of its just reward and defeat the reasonable expectations of progress. The enormous disbursements on and the rivalries in armaments manifestly constitute the greater part of the encumbrance on enterprise. The national propensity for this is not only without economic justification, but is a constant .menace to the world’s peace rather than ’an assurance of its preservation, yet I do not expect a halt to the increasing outlays unless the Powers largely concerned find a satisfactory basis of agreement regarding limitations. The time is believed to be opportune for the Powers to approach the subject directly at a conference, and while the question of naval armaments may have first place in the discussion, other armernents will not be excluded. It may also be found advisable to discuss proposals by which, in the interest of humanity, new agencies of warfare may Vie controlled. It is the earnest wish of the United States that through an interchange of views at the conference it may be possible to find a solution of the Pacific and Ear Eastern problems, which are of unquestioned importance at this time. Such a common understanding respecting matters which have been, and are, of international concern may be of service in promoting an enduring friendship among our peoples. It is not the purpose of the United States to attempt to define the scope of discussion on the Pacific and Far East, but to leave it to exchanges of opinion before the conference in expectation that a spirit of friendship will govern the final decision. The President, therefore, invites Britain to a conference at Washington on November 11.” Identical notes have been sent to France, Italy, and Japan. AUSTR A LI A ’ S VIEW P OIN T. LONDON, August 11. While Parliament was sitting Mr W. M. Hughes addressed 100 members, by invitation of the Empire Parliamentary Committee of Westminster, on the Pacific question. Tie set out the case from the. Australian viewpoint, and also discussed the situation as affecting America, China, and Japan and their relation to Australia. He dealt with all points fully, expressing very great regret that the American Government had" been unable to arrange to hold a preliminary conference to discuss Pacific matters, because, without a settlement of these points, disarmament would be impossible. He explained the

White Australia policy, tracing the development of sentiment and emphasising that this strong claim was now held as a national ideal by Australians. AMERICA AND CENTRAL POWERS. WASHINGTON, August 13. It is reported that the United States is negotiating separate Peace Treaties with Germany and Austria-Hungary, the latter differing from tile former. The German Treaty will be based on certain provisions of the Versailles Treaty, while the Austro-Hungarian Treaty will be drawn up more like an agreement of amity and commerce.