ARMS PROBLEM

Southland Times, Issue 22218, 10 January 1934, Page 5

ARMS PROBLEM

RECENT DISCUSSIONS

NEED FOR AGREEMENT STRESSED

LEAGUE REFORM LATER

(British Official Wireless.) Rugby, January 8.

The Prime Minister, Mr Ramsay Macdonald, has returned to- London from Lossiemouth, where he spent the Christmas holidays. Sir John Simon visited him this morning and a long conversation took place upon the disarmament situation generally. The date of the Cabinet meeting has not yet been fixed, but Cabinet’s subcommittee on disarmament is meeting on Wednesday. It was hoped that Sir John Simon would be able to meet the president of the Disarmament Conference, Mr Arthur Henderson, to consult with him about the date for the resumed meeting of the Bureau of the conference and other matters, but Mr Henderson was indisposed and the meeting had necessarily to be postponed. Sir John Simon will attend a meeting of the Council of the League of Nations, which opens on Monday at Geneva. He will leave London on Saturday or Sunday. The first general comment on the recent exchanges of views on the disarmament question between governments through their embassies and in direct -onsultations between ministers, was made by the Lord Privy Seal, Captail Anthony Eden, in a speech at Alcester. Referring in particular to Sir John Simon’s visits, he said there could be no doubt that 'they had had valuable results in removing doubts and gaining important assurances. The first need of the world was for agreement on disarmament, not only on. account of the importance of that issue itself, but owing to the greater political significance with which it was now embodied. Conversations through diplomatic channels and otherwise were solely for that purpose. They were no substitute for Geneva, but were an interlude to enable Geneva to proceed with better prospects of success. Referring to the problem of the future of the League, he said there could be no doubt that public opinion in Britain did not welcome with any cordiality the suggestion of a reform of the League at this time. Therefore, the assurance, which was one outcome of Sir John Simon’s \ isit to Rome, that there was an agreement between the Italian and British Governments that disarmament must come first and the League reform second, was doubly welcome. That was undoubtedly the right order. When an agreement had been reached upon disarmament they might surely hope that the international atmosphere would so much have been cleared as to enable the second task to be undertaken if needs be. The League of Nations had suffered in the past year from the notice of the withdrawal of two great Powers which had per-* manent seats on the Council. What then, was to be the future of that body? He believed it to be essential that 1934 should see an increase in the membership of the League, together with the maintenance of its full authority. It had justified itself in the chequered post-war years. Tire whole influence and authority and all the enthusiasm and energy of the British Government must be devoted to the maintenance of an institution which was the strongest bulwark of peace. Any amendment of the League must be entered into with the determination to leave the League stronger and better adapted to its task.