DISARMAMENT PROBLEM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 439, 3 December 1930, Page 7

DISARMAMENT PROBLEM

MR HENDERSON’S COAIMENT

A FAR-REACHING STEP.

RUGBY, Nov. 30,

The Foreign Secretary (Air Arthur Henderson), speaking at Cardiff yesterday, referred to the situation regarding disarmament. Under the terms of the General Act of Arbitration which, he indicated, the Government wore accepting, every dispute would be referred to an-impartial tribunal.

He added: "As a result of the discussions at the Imperial Conference we may now hope that ail of the self-gov-erning Dominions will act with us In taking this new and far-reaching step. The British Commonwealth having given a lead in this great matter, other Powers, I am certain, will follow their example. We shall then have made another great step forward toward the completion of our system of safeguarding against war.”

On world disarmament the Government were also in complete accord with the Dominions. The Preparatory. Commission on Disarmament at Geneva had been making very satisfactory progress, and he could not appraise too highly tho work of Lord Cecil.

He continued: "Plainly we must have some limitation of man power to be maintained if tho Treaty comes into operation. We must have spmc limitation of material. Wo must have some sort of supervision and control by, an impartial League of Nations Commission whose task shall be to ensure that the limits included in the Disarmament Treaty are not infringed or exceeded in any way.

“After the first five years the Disarmament Treaty will be subject to revision, and if the experience of the first five years shows that the Treaty needs improvement, we shall be in a happy position to set about making that improvement. “When wo have the work of tho Preparatory Commission completed we hope that before many months there will be a fixed Disarmament Conference representing the whole world.