NAVAL NEGOTIATIONS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17061, 20 September 1929, Page 7

NAVAL NEGOTIATIONS

ITALY REMAINS SILENT PARITY WITH FRANCE (Eldc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Times Cables.) LONDON, Sept. 19. Italy lias not yet sliown her hand in regard to naval disarmament, but the. Times’ Rome correspondent says that at present there is no reason to suppose that her attitude, has in any way changed from last year, when she undertook to accept any figure, however low. pro\ ided it was not exceeded by the, other Continental Lowers. In olliei words, Italy is determined to maintain her right of parity with France. The Washington conference recognised this parity as far as larger units are con corned, but Italy wants it extended to light cruisers and submarines. It is insisted that such recognition on the part of France must be a condition precedent to any concerted naval disarmament action between the two countries. AN END TO RIVALRY HOOVER’S DECLARATION (Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 18. The naval disarmament negotiations were described bv President Hoover in a. radio address, as proposals “which would preserve our national defences, yet would relieve the backs of those who toil from gigantic expenditures, and the world from hate and fear which follows from rivalry in building warships.” This is the first time the President lias mentioned • the subject of disarmament in a public address since tho AngloAmerican negotiations began. DISCUSSION AT GENEVA LORD CECIL’S APPEAL (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) GENEVA, Sept. 19. Lord Robert Cecil encountered opposition when lie re-opened controversial subjects at a meeting of the League’s Disarmament Commission. Lord Cecil desired the commission to consider tho limitations of materials and of the personnel of trained reserves, army _ and navy budgets, and also international control and enforcement of the disarmament treaty. In an impassioned peroration he said if the draft treaty included no reduction of limitation of material “we would be presenting a hungering world not with bread but with a stone—something also which was of almost unpractical value.” There could be no question of compulsion; the work must be done in collaboration and co-operation. If any Power were not prepared to lake this substantial step, then the others could only submit that this might be the end of the disarmament schemes which could be the only direct and positive safeguard against war, for it was the corner stone of tho edifice of peace.