‘WORLD DISASTER”

Southland Times, Issue 21831, 7 October 1932, Page 7

‘WORLD DISASTER”

DISARMAMENT FAILURE DISQUIETING POLITICAL SITUATION BISHOP BARNES’S VIEWS (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 9.20 p.m.) London, October. 6. "We have to acknowledge that the Disarmament Conference has failed, which we must count a world disaster of the first magnitude,” said Dishop Barnes speaking at Birmingham. “The whole social and political situation of the civilized world is disquieting. Trade stagnation continues, unemployment is increasing and millions are embittered.” Bishop Barnes said he believed the period of depression would have ended except for world political uncertainty and fear that a threat of rearmament would end in war. America would not remit debts as long as Europe was preparing for war, yet as long as debts were paid there must be financial disaster. The world needed disarmament, international goodwill and the abolition of international debts for a return of prosperity. FOUR-POWER PARLEY PROPOSAL BEING CONSIDERED. (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, October 5. All that can be said about the suggested Four-Power Disarmament Conference is that the British Government has been in communication with the French, German and Italian Governments on the question whether the difficulties raised through Germany’s withdrawal from the Disarmament Conference could be made the subject of a mutual exchange of views. The matter is still under consideration, but if a conference as suggested were found feasible and generally approved the British Government would arrange such a meeting in London. CONFERENCE UNLIKELY. FRANCO-GERMAN ATTITUDE. (Rec. 9.25 p.m.) London, October 6. The Daily Telegraph says that no hope is now entertained of arranging the Four-Power Conference at London. The attitude of Paris and Berlin sealed its fate. It might be possible to induce Germany to return to the fold by promising a drastic cut in armaments, but France will not agree without guarantees of security which neither Britain nor the United States is prepared to give, M. Herriot is also adamant in demanding the international control of armaments by a League commission.