ARMS LIMITATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 1, 23 March 1927, Page 16

ARMS LIMITATION

LEAGUE'S WORK PREPARATORY CONFERENCE CECIL *5 DRAFT CONVENTION GENEVA, Tuesday. The conference of the Preparatory Committee on Disarmament was opened yesterday at Geneva. Viscount Cecil presented a draft convention which contained the following provisions:— tx> The contractants to inform the Secretary-General of the League of Nations every year the amount they propose to spend on land, naval and air armaments during that year. (2) The limitation of effective land forces. (3) The tonnage of any one ship, the number and tonnage of all ships of its class and the calibre of their guns not to exceed the figures laid down. i 4) The contractants to accept the Washington Naval Agreement, the limitation of air armaments to be effected by restricting the number of aircraft attached to shore bases to 50. One chapter dealt with the procedure to be adopted in cases of violation of the convention, the duration of which would be 10 years. Lord Cecil said the convention did not propose definite figures, which would remain to be settled by a conference, possibly in June. The convention did not prevent contractants from increasing their armaments beyond the figures of the prospective treaty in the following cases:—(l) Of a war in which a contractant would be the belligerent: (2) of a threatened rebellion: (3) of an emergency involving serious military operation; (4) in case such an increase were agreed to by the Council of .the League. Lord Cecil said thei development of modern armaments since the last war had been such that the greatest problem facing the world to-day was whether advantage could be taken of the present lull to build up safeguards which would prevent another war which might end civilisation. Tne Disarmament Commission must demonstrate that a reduction or limitation of armaments was a practical possibility. After that each nation must declare its position regarding armaments. M. Paul Boncour (Prance) announced that he would submit a plan embodying the view 3 of the French Government. Signor di Marinis (Italy) said that If all the other Powers reduced their armaments, Italy would be ready to follow suit, but her geographical position should not be overlooked.—A. iand N.Z.