“TALKS DOOMED”

Southland Times, Issue 22294, 9 April 1934, Page 5

“TALKS DOOMED”

DISARMAMENT PROBLEM KEYNOTE OF FRENCH REPLY LIMITATION INSTEAD (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) London, April 7. The keynote of the French Mote to Britain is that disarmament talks are doomed and will be replaced by the question of the limitation of armaments. It points out that the British plan for a ten-year disarmament convention involving German equality is “hopelessly out of date” in view of Germany’s swollen military estimate and possible intentions to further rearm.

A message from Paris says that M. Barthos assured Mr Arthur Henderson that France would support a proposal to convene the Disarmament Commission on April 23. Mr Henderson, interviewed, said he was certain the meeting would result in a convention, though probably some nations would not sign. DISARMAMENT BUREAU MEETING THIS WEEK. DISCUSSIONS IN LONDON. (British Official Wireless.) Rugby. April 6. Mr R. A. Eden leaves for Geneva on Monday to take part in the meeting of the Bureau of the Disarmament Conference. The question regarding guarantees is still the subject of exchanges between the British and French Governments. The French views on security were stated in a Note recently, and subsequently further inquiries were addressed to the Quai d’Orsay. The reply to these inquiries will be in the hands of the British Government tomorrow. Its terms will be carefully studied by the ministers before Mr Eden’s departure for Geneva. Recent developments in the disarmament situation were discussed this morning at a meeting at the Foreign Office between Sir John Simon and Mr Norman Davis, the United States representative at the Disarmament Conference.