WORLD DISARMAMENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17917, 22 October 1932, Page 7

WORLD DISARMAMENT

BRITISH ENDEAVORS SUPPORT FROM CHURCHES DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS (British Official Wireless.) Roe. .10 a.in. RUGBY, Oct. “0. The Prime Minister and Sir John Simon received an influential deputation representing the established Nonconformist churches which was desirous of assuring them of unreserved support in their efforts lu obtain a substantial measure of international disarmament. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who led the deputation, stated that in* had randy known any subject which had aroused in the churches such unanimity and depth of conviction as disarmament. They recognised fully the practical difficulties with which the .Ministers were faced, and wished to assure them of the support of the great volume of Christian public, opinion, which felt growing concern at the international outlook, and the present position of the Disarmament Conference.

The archbishop said I hey felt a moral obligation that- the promise given by the allied Powers after tho war should be fulfilled, and thought that it would bo morally wrong at this stage in the world’s history to acquiesce in anything less than a wide : nd general reduction of armaments. They hoped that there might be a resolution to remove, and in some cases even forbid, five categories of obviously aggressive weapons, namely, tanks, land guns, submarines, warships over 10,000 tons, and military aircraft, and also to give enthusiastic support to maintenance of ns close cooperation ns was possible with the United States. PRESSURE WELCOMED Britain was the natural link between Europe and America, and if in the anxious times ahead such co-operation could be maintained, it would have an enormous effect upon world opinion. They believed that the British Government, by reason of the armaments reductions which Britain already had effected, and by its known sympathy to, and its declared desire to be fair and just, to Germany, was in a position to give a really effective lead on disarmament, and that the best elements in Europe would welcome, such a lead in the present confusion. After other members of the deputation had spoken, the Foreign Secretary expressed his appreciation to them, and welcomed all the pressure they could bring to strengthen their hands. Regarding the recent British note to Germany, lie said it was not written to urge a legal 7, reposition, but was designed to put aside technical legal arguments as not being real grounds to explore in order to insist, that the real claim made upon tho consideration of all the rest of them Was a claim in a moral, and not in a legal spirit.. What could be done in the future should not be restricted by dwelling simply upon what Britain already had achieved since the war in the name of disarmament. On the other hand, it would be a great injustice to Britain, and would actually hinder the acceptance by their own people of a desire for disarmament. THE WILL TO PEACE I It was now said that since the Armistice Britain was the orilv great country in the world that had made a big reduction in armaments. That fact, combined with the existing need for police and protective action in all parts of the world, must bo borne in mind. A complication, said Sir John Simon, arose in fitting the moral purpose which they all wished to pursue into the excessive complications of practical use. The Prime Minister, while also welcoming the pressure on the moral aspect of disarmament, said the peacemaker should not only consider the moral issues, but also all the possibilities of the situation. The Government wished to do big things, and since February had hung on tenaciously to create, not merely a sense of disarmament, but a more difficult thing, namely, a state of will to peace. He wished to be the head of a Government which not merely signed a document about a reduction of armaments, but which lolt peace in Europe and the world. They had done great work with America, and it would be something like a moral catastrophe which would be required to separate Britain from the United States. They were striving to establish similar relations in Europe. GERMANY'S FUTURE DEPENDANT ON BRITAIN (Klee. Tel. Copyright —Unito-J Press Assn.) (Received October 22, 11 a.in.) MUNICH, Oct. ,21. Herr Hitler, in an open letter to Herr von l’npcn, advocated a new foreign policy, based on the closest co-opcration between Germany, Britain and Italy. He savs that beforo discussing the naval claim Herr von Paper, ought to assure himself of its acceptability_ by Britain, because Germany s future is dependant on the closest relations with Britain. NAVAL HOLIDAY U.S. ACCEPTS EXTENSION (Received October 22, 11 a.in.) WASHINGTON, Oct. 21. The United States has agreed to an extension until March 1 next of the naval holiday agreement, which is duo to expire on November 1.