DR CURTIUS’S SPEECH.

Otago Witness, Issue 3993, 23 September 1930, Page 28

DR CURTIUS’S SPEECH.

REFERENCE TO DISARMAMENT. GENEVA, September 16. Crowded assembly galleries awaited Dr Curtius’s speech. It was recognised that the German . elections had placed him in a very difficult position, but he made no reference to the elections beyond giving assurances that Germany’s policy to the League would be unchanged. He claimed that Germany was probably the worst sufferer in Europe’s economic crisis. The reparations payments had much aggravated her position. He cordially associated himself with Mr Henderson’s disarmament plea. He expressed disappointment at the development of the international situation since Germany’s entry to the League. The idea of the possibility of war, he said, must be banished from the minds of the nations. It was not only necessary to outlaw war, hut conflicts which might lead to war must be removed. The progress of disarmament was disappointing. Germany would cordially co-operate in the plans for an economic union in Europe with a view to establishing a better economic situation throughout the world.

The. chief Italian delegate (Signor Scialoja) followed in the same strain.

M. BRIAND’S SCHEME.

EXAMINATION BY COMMITTEE. RUGBY, September 17. At the League Assembly at Geneva this morning a resolution was unanimously adopted appointing a special European committee to examine M. Briand’s scheme for a European federation. The resolution provided that tho committee should be at liberty to call in not only representatives of extraEuropean countries if so desired, but also non-members of the League, whether European or not.