PREMIER’S PEACE MISSION

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1929, Page 9

PREMIER’S PEACE MISSION

IMPRESSION IN AMERICA DEPARTURE FROM CAPITAL “WARM WELCOME EN ROUTE By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Australian Press Association. United .Service, Washington, Oct. 10. Coinciding with the departure of Mr. MacDonald for Philadelphia this morning, the United States Government formally accepted Britain’s invitation to participate in the five-Power naval conference. His mission of peace accomplished, and his message of British goodwill delivered, Mt. MacDonald hade farewell to the capital of the United States and departed on his long homeward journey. The sincerity which so captured the imagination of official and unofficial Washington was more" apparent than ever in the head of the British Government as he said good-bye to the representatives of President Hoover at the station before leaving for Philadelphia. - A large throng was gathered to obtain a farewell glimpse of Mr. MacDonald and Miss Ishbel MacDonald. Mr. MacDonald, addressing them, said: “I am sorry to be leaving you.” His visit to Philadelphia Us unofficial, being purely for the purpose of lunching with Dr. Solis Cohen, who treated him for bronchial trouble in 1927. Those treatments w’ere so successful that Mr. MacDonald never forgot the services the physician performed. Immediately the' luncheon ends Mr. MacDonald will proceed to New York. Washington has been captivated by the Prime Minister’s personality and frankness; wherever he went he was cheered in the streets by all who recognised him. - • At Baltimore an ovation from several hundred people greeted Mr. Ramsay MacDonald and Miss Ishbel MacDonald when they came to the observation platform of their car during the five minutes’ stop. A Philadelphia message states that the Premier arrived before noon and nurses who tended him at the Jefferson Hospital when he was ill there two years ago. In addition to the reception committee, a delegation of 36 British war veterans formed-,two lines at the station, through which Mr. MacDonaldpassed. He shook hands with every man. The crowd on the station broke through the police and surrounded Mr. MacDonald, who shook bands with all in reach. After his arrival he said: “I am going away content and convinced that the more congenial atmosphere is the satisfactory result from the Hoover conferences.” Mr. MacDonald arrived at New York at 5.16 for a three days’ visit. “CONTRIBUTION TO HISTORY.” PREFACE TO INT!'": J'\ !2 STUDY. (British Official Wireless). Rugby, Oct. 10. . 1 The tone of the Hoover-MacDonald < statement indicates that a propititous atmosphere has been created for the future consideration of technical prob- „ lems, the solution of which will materially advance the cause of disarmament. The statement points out that they had been guided by the double hope of settling their own differences on naval matters and so establishing unclouded goodwill, candour and confidence, and of contributing something to the solu- i tion of the problem of peace in which I all the other nations were interested ' and which called for their co-operation. r J Both theii’ Governments resolve to ac- j cept the Peace Pact not only as a dor i duration of good intentions but as a i positive obligation to direct‘their poli- < cies in accordance with its pledge. In 1 the promotion of world peace one Government would never consent to become < entangled in European diplomacy and 1 the other is resolved to pursue a policy £ of active co-operation with its Euro- 1 pcan neighbours. But each will, direct i its thoughts and influence towards se- c curing and maintaining the peace of the I world. f

The statement mentions that other naval Powers have been kept informed of the progress of the Anglo-American conversations, and recognises that their co-operation is essential to an agreement on naval armaments. The conversations with other Powers concerned would be continued to remove difficulties before t-liQ formal negotiations began. -Tlie statement adds: “In view of the security afforded by the Peace Pact, we have been able to end, we trust for ever, all competitive building between ourselves with the risk of war and the waste of public money involved by agreeing to the parity of our fleets category by category.” Commenting on the statement, The Times says that the document, jointly signed by an American President and a British Prime Minister, is itself a contribution to history, the significance of which needs no understanding, and adds: “It is no catalogue of detailed conclusions, but a hopeful preface to a' moie intensive study of the international i elutions in which disarmament will bo linked with a fundamental resui vey of the functions of fleets in the futuie and of the conceptions of security that should properly determine them. No better achievement could have been' demanded from those memorable meetings.”

NEW ZEALAND CONGRATULATIONS CABLES SENT TO TWO LEADERS. Wellington, Last Night. The Wellington branch of the English Speaking Union has dispatched tlie°following cable message to the Right Hon. Ramsay MacDonald, Prime Minister of Great Britain, conveying congratulations upon the success of his mission to the United States: “The English Speaking Union offers enthusiastic felicitations on the beneficent influence of your visit to the President of the United States in strengthening the ties of the Englishspeaking democracies and accelerating the progress of world peace.” Congratulations have also gone forward to the President of the United States, the British Ambassador at

Washington, Sir Esmc Howard, haviim been asked to transmit the following message to President Hoover: “The English Speaking Union warmly appreciates the friendly atmosphere and rejoices in the concord of your historic collaboration with the British Prime Minister, thus further cementing the ties of the English-speaking peoples and tending te promote universal peace.” GERMANY SEEKS DISARMAMENT. BIGGER ARMY THE ALTERNATIVE. Berlin, Oct. 10. The Press is giving close attention to tho MacDonald-Hoovcr conversations, and is of tho opinion that they have reached most valuable results. Political circles are most anxious for the success of the fivc-Power conference as a prelude to land disarmament, failing which there will sure to be a demand for permission to increase the German army.