INTERNATIONAL PEACE.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12536, 30 December 1933, Page 5

INTERNATIONAL PEACE.

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT’S PLAN.

THREE-POINT PROGRAMME. United Press Assn.—By Electric Tedegraph—Copyright. WASHINGTON, Dec. 28. Speaking at a dinner here to-night. President Roosevelt proclaimed that the policy of the United States henceforth would be one unalterably opposed to armed intervention in dealing with her neighbours. The President stressed the following three-point programme for international peace:— (1) The elimination of offensive* weapons. (2) A declaration by each nation against invasion. (3) The signing of a solemn, international treaty by all nations to abide by these “rules of fair play.” Ylr Roosevelt said that tfie United States did not contemplate becoming a member of the League of Nations. However, he praised the League’s work and said that encouraging, as it did, an extension of non-aggres-sion pacts or a reduction of armament agreements, was a drop in the world peace structure. Dr. Woodrow* Wilson’s gallant appeal to banish future wars meant little to the imagination and hearts of the large number of so-called statesmen gathered at Paris in 1919. “I saw that with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears.” Referring to his work abroad as Assistant-Secretary of the Navy during the war and post-war period, he said that political profit, personal prestige and national aggrandisement attended the birth of the League of Nations and handicapped it from its infancy. Outlining his own three points for universal peace, the President said that he had told every nation in the world something to- this effect: — “(1) Let every nation agree- to eliminate over a short period of years, and by progressive steps, every weapon of offence in its possession, and create no additional weapons of offence. This does not guarantee a nation against invasion unless you implement it with the light to fortify its own borders with permanent and 11011-mobile defences, and <dso with the right to assure itself through international continuing inspection that its neighbours are not increasing nor maintaining offensive weapons of war. “(2) A simple declaration that, no nation permit any of its armed forces to cross its own borders into the territory of another nation, such an act to be regarded by humanity as an act of aggression. Therefore, it would call for the condemnation of humanity.

“(3) It is clear that no such general agreement for the elimination of aggression and weapons of offensive warfare would be of any value unless every nation, without exception. entered into the agreement by solemn obligation. If such an agreement were signed by the great majority of nations oil. the definite condition that it would go into effect only when signed by all nations, it would be comparatively easy to determine which nations are willing to go on record as belonging to the f-mall minority which still believes in the use of the sword for invasion or attack upon its neighbours.’’ A FRENCH SCHEME. PARKING OF ALL OFFENSIVE ARMS. LONDON, December 29. Following the rejection of Hitler’s proposals, France contemplates presenting a new disarmament plan next month, says the Morning Post’s diplomatic correspondent. A feature of the scheme would be the_ “parking” of all offensive arms on neutral ground, with a view to their eventual destruction if at the end of ten years control of armaments was effectively established. Defensive weapons would be gradually reduced, so that complete qualitative equality would be realised in eight years. No re-armament of Germany would be permitted apart from the transformation of the Reichswehr from a professional force into a short-service conscript army. The scheme proposes a reduction of military aircraft, the creation of an international air force and the internationalisation of civil aviation. It is understood that, in the event of Hitler refusing to accept the plan as a basis of discussion, FYance will lodge a formal complaint against Germany’s violation of the treaty and produce the famous dossier. According to cr Pertinax,” France has already offered to scrap part of her force of bombing aeroplanes as a guarantee of sincerity and has suggested that Franco-British proposals should be drawn up by M. Paul-Boncour and Sir John Simon as the basis of the Franco-German negotiations.