GENEVA AND LAUSANNE

Otago Witness, Issue 4085, 28 June 1932, Page 27

GENEVA AND LAUSANNE

MR GIBSON AT LAUSANNE DISARMAMENT DISCUSSED. LONDON, June 21. Some mystery centres in Mr Gibson's dash to Lausanne, but he explained that he went there only to talk about disarmament. He said that America would not join in the Reparations Conference. Mr MacDonald had a three hours talk with M. Herriot, who later announced that there were still some difficulties that had not been surmounted. FRANCE’S FIRST THOUGHT SECURITY OF THE NATION. LONDON, June 21. Mr Gibson explained to AL Herriot that America was pressing for a plan for the reduction of effectives and quantitative disarmament. Al. Herriot emphasised that security was the first coni sideration, therefore any reduction was ■ a most serious matter. Mr Gibson replied that it would lie out of the ques- • tion to ask the United States to cancel ; war debts while Europe was spending I more on armaments than would suffice > for the whole service of debts. ’ THE REPARATIONS PROBLEM FRENCH PROPOSALS. LONDON, June 22. Messages from Lausanne state that a report that France had announced her willingness to disarm by 10 per cent. 1 caused unusual activity in official quarters. It is understood that the French rea parations proposals at yesterday’s dise missions included suspension of reparae tions for a further three years, followed f by Germany’s payment of a global sum, not yet fixed, divisible between America

and her other creditors on a proportionate basis, meanwhile deliveries in kind to continue. DISARMAMENT COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING CALLED. ‘ LONDON, June 22. A message from Geneva states that Mr Henderson unexpectedly called a meeting of the General Commission on Disarmament for 4.30 to-day to consider the American limitation plan. “UNABLE TO PAY” GERMAN MEMORANDUM LAUSANNE, June 22. Coincidently with Anglo-French efforts to find an acceptable reparations formulae, Germany submitted a memorandum to Mr Ramsay MacDonald declaring her inability to make further payments, suggesting concerted action to solve the problem, and offering as an appeasement to French anxiety to agree to a clause under which Germany and the interested Powers would confer if security of peace was in any way threatened. It is reported that the French and Belgian delegates have agreed on a figure for eventual German payment, estimated at between seven and eight milliard marks.

MOMENTOUS CONFERENCES

THE PRELIMINARY WORK RUGBY, June 23. Important conversations were continued between the delegates to the Reparations and the Disarmament Conferences at Lausanne and Geneva. The interest at Lausanne centred in an interview, which lasted two hours, between the British and French Prime Ministers. Later the French Minister of Finance and the German Minister had a long conversation with Mr Neville Chamberlain and Mr Runciman. All four then joined Mr MacDonald and AL Herriot. The following communique was issued: “The conversations between lhe British and French delegations were continued in a useful and friendly way. They have been suspended in order that the French delegation might have an opportunity of consulting with the German delegations.” Reports from Lausanne state that Mr MacDonald and M. Herriot reached tentative accord on the four questions of principle in regard to reparations.

1. The solution must be final. 2. It must result in a revival pf world confidence. 3. Germany not to be asked to pay during the period of her recovery. 4. If payments are resumed they must be of such a nature as not to upset normal commercial interchange. LIMITATION OF ARMAMENTS CONSIDERATION BY FRANCE. PARIS, June 25. AL Herriot received journalists after a meeting of the Cabinet, when he declared that France owed the greatest consideration to everything that came from President Hoover. “ I have read and reread his message and I wonder whether it takes into account possible coalitions. The dominating idea at Lausanne is that a European settlement is impossible without universal agreement.” BRITAIN AND AMERICA. CONTINUED CO-OPERATION. LONDON, June 25. Mr H. L. Stimson sent the following message to Sir John Simon : “ I earnestly thank you for your sympathetic discussion of President Hoover's proposals and I trust that our two delegations, working together, will be able to contribute to their fulfilment.” Sir John Simon replied that he reciprocated the wish for continued co-operation. Only the co-operation of all the States could lift the burden of excessive armaments. “ Britain deeply appreciates thspirit and purpose of President Hoover’s declaration and will do her utmost to pro mote the acceptance of concrete proposals covering the whole field of disarmament by seeking the largest measure of agreement by all the States represented at Geneva."

FRENCH PRESS UNFAVOURABLE. PARIS, June 23. The newspapers, except the Socialist organ, are frankly unfavourable to the Hoover plan. RATIO OF CAPITAL SHIPS JAPAN OPPOSES REDUCTION. TOKlO.'june 23. The Japanese naval authorities are strongly opposed to President Hoover’s proposal for a reduction of one-third in regard to capital ships, of which an unfavourable ratio was allotted to Japan in the London Treaty, in view of the requirements for national defence. THE FRENCH ADAMANT SECURITY PACT INSISTED ON. WASHINGTON, June 23. The insistence by the French Government upon a security pact, as reported

in the Geneva press despatches concerning President Hoover’s arms proposals, brought the assertion to-day from high governmental quarters that the United States, under no conditions, would consider entering into such an agreement.

MR MACDONALD’S PLEA “A CLEAN SLATE.” LAUSANNE, June 23. A three hours’ conference between Mr MacDonald and M. Herriot apparently left the latter unshaken in his determination to demand some eventual German payment instead of yielding to Mr MacDonald’s plea for a clean slate, thus showing America that Europe was prepared to make sacrifices. FRANCE AND GERMANY. LEADERS CONFERRING. RUGBY, June 24. The conversations at Lausanne between AL Herriot and Herr von Papen, for which the ground had been prepared by Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s negotiations yesterday with AL Herriot, began, as arranged, this morning. The two statesmen were alone during the early part of the interview, and later the conversations were continued with their Ministerial colleagues and experts in attendance. A communique stated that, after the German Finance Minister (Herr Krosick) had presented the details of a statement of the economic and financial position of Germany, the meeting adjourned. The conversations will be resumed this evening.

“THINGS GOING WELL.” LONDON, June 24. A Lausanne communique records the opening of the Franco-German consultations, at which Germany’s financial and economic position was detailed. AL Herriot and Herr von Papen emerged with their arms linked. They stated that things were going very well. REPARATIONS PROBLEM. PARIS, June 25. Herr von Papen, who was interviewed by Le Matin, said he recognised that m the event of liquidation of reparations France has a right to compensation. LEADERS LEAVE FOR HOME. LAUSANNE, June 25. The first stage of the conference ended with the departure of Herr von Papen to Berlin and M. Herriot to Paris. The second stage will open on their return early next week, and it is expected that the conference will conclude on July 9, just in time to permit the British delegates to leave for Ottawa. From all accounts the Franco-German discussions were conducted in a friendly spirit. Herr von Papen drew a sombre picture of the state of affairs in Germany. When M. Herriot referred to railway assets, Herr von Papen replied that the income from the State rail ways hardly covered expenses.

DEBTS AND REPARATIONS. A DENIAL FROM AMERICA. WASHINGTON, June 25. Mr H. L. Stimson, in a sharp statement, denied reports from Europe regarding the American representatives participating in the discussions on debts and reparations. “ I categorically deny the newspaper report from London that the United States and Great Britain have reached an unwritten gentlemen’s agreement that they will follow the same disarmament policy and that reparation payments must cease.” A FURTHER DENIAL. LONDON, June 25. The British Embassy at Paris denies that Sir John Simon and Air Mellon reached a gentleman’s agreement on the attitude of England and America towards reparations and disarmament.