EFFORTS RENEWED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18256, 27 November 1933, Page 5

EFFORTS RENEWED

WORLD DISARMAMENT BRITISH LEAD WELCOMED UNHAPPY MEMORIES

(British Official Wireless.) Bee. 10 a.m. RUGBY, Nov. 26.

Britain’s new lead in the disurma input negotiations, which was an nounced by Sir John Simon in the llouso of Commons, is welcomed by the British press. The speech was fully reported abroad, and the immediate response in France, Germany, and Italy, was favorable. Sir John Simon, in a. further reference to the disarmament problem, said the central fact of the problem was (he question of French and German relations. There must be. a fuller understanding of that question. The ini)ticiice of Britain in this tremendous msiie was immensely increased by the l-nul. -edge that our oivn united nation r a,- tin reservedly devoted to ponce. Sir .Tolm Simon said Fra nee was most deeply devoted to peace. What made her hesitate to reduce her 1 armament:was the memory of the repeated in vusioas of her eastern side. Across riio frontier was another great people, also nursing a memory—-a memory of humiliation, defeat and disarmament imposed on them by a treaty which did not, indeed, make that, disarmament conditional upon the disarmament of others, but; certainly recorded the intention of the victors to follow with a disarmament, of their own. A new generation of Germans had inherited these bitter memories, and they had a leader who, whatever one might think of his methods, embodied their claim to dignity and status of equality.

Britain’s new disarmament lead announced by Sir John Simon is warmly welcomed abroad. French official circles, however, are divided between a desire for international peace and distrust of Hitlerism.

The Berlin press gives prominence ot the speech, which is regarded as an important step in the right direction, but it is noted that there is still no recognition of Germany’s demand for equality of treatment.

The British United Press Berlin correspondent states that it is reliably reported that direct negotiations for disarmament have already begun between France and Germany through diplomatic channels.

“If a country declared war contrary to international pacts, 1 would advise the workers to begin a general strike," said Sir Stafford Cripps at a Sutton meeting, which passed a resolution demanding that the executive of the Labor Party should immediately act to stop the production and transportation ot munitions without waiting for war to break out.