DISARMAMENT

Southland Times, Issue 21851, 31 October 1932, Page 7

DISARMAMENT

FRANCE’S PLANS A LIVELY DEBATE MR MACDONALD ASSAILED (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Paris, October 28. M. Bouillon’s attack on Mr Ramsay MacDonald and M. Herriot’s retort enlivened the disarmament debate in the Chamber of Deputies, in which general conscription and dissolution of the Reichswehr were disclosed as the salient points of M. Herriot’s plan. M. Bouillon declared that he shuddered at the name of MacDonald. France would be under the German yoke if she depended upon him alone. He tried desperately in 1914 to prevent Britain participating in the continued political activities of wartime. M. Herriot stigmatized M. Bouillon’s remarks as unjust and impudent and increasing the difficulty of international negotiations if uncontradicted. M. Blum advocated progressive disarmament as the only means of preventing Germany leading the armaments race. He added that the future of Europe for peace or war for decades was in M. Herriot’s hands. He urged him to seize the last chance to take the word of Germany which threatened to rearm only if general disarmament was refused. M. Herriot reiterated his faith in Locarno and Britain’s signature thereto. M. Bouillon asserted that M. Herriot should not propound the plan any more than M. Tardieu. Germany was not entitled to invoke Article Five of the treaty because she had violated all her engagements. Britain and America were doing their best to strengthen Germany. France had been duped. Inquiries should be made into German armaments before the negotiations were continued. M. Herriot said that the German rearmament plan originated with General von Seeckt and the general staff and provided for army shock troops, recruited from soldiers with six years’ service, supported by an army of all elements of the nation. M. Herriot said that France would accept a general organization of reduced short time service for metropolitan land armies, providing all bodies not in conformity therewith disbanded. For example the Reichswehr internationally regulated internal police forces with right of investigation as organized at Locarno 'and completed by the European pact, mutual assistance providing a force sufficient to suppress aggression, also compulsory arbitration of all disputes. The United States should grant guarantees of security to members of the League and undertake to fulfil the obligations of Articles Sixteen of the Covenant. He asked the Chamber to ratify the plan. If it adopted the Geneva scheme, the plan presented no danger to France who would rally round her all _ the friends necessary. M. Herriot received an ovation on leaving the Tribune. FURTHER POINTS PLAN DELIBERATELY ELASTIC. (Rec. 7.20 p.m.) Paris, October 29. A communique to-night adds two points to M. Herriot’s proposals. Firstly, France would agree to a reduction of a short term service for all Metropolitan land forces, provided disarmament was interdependent between land and sea and air armies. Secondly, it is provided that nations with responsibility of overseas territories shall retain specialized forces. An official associated with the preparation of the plan explains that the plan is deliberately elastic. There is no question of resuscitating the protocol with compulsory armed assistance. The plan merely proposes regional mutual assistance, completing Locarno. It does not mean Britain will be asked to join Eastern Locarno or supply troops. A common army will be held in readiness to suppress aggression which are purely continental affairs. Similarly it does not affect armies for colonial service, like Britain’s which is not expected to adopt conscription.