INTEREST IN BRITAIN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 116, 19 May 1933, Page 7

INTEREST IN BRITAIN

DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE SUITABLE STARTING POINT. ( British Official Wirel«»» | RUGBY, May 17. Herr Hitler’s speech in the Reichstag was closely studied in political circles. Particular interest was directed on the passages bearing on disarmament, because it was recognised that the future of the Geneva Conference depends to a large extent on Germany’s attiture towards the proposal for the standardisation of Continental armies. Herr Hitler did not disclose in detail the attitude which the German delegate will take up when the general committee resumes. Referring to the Graft convention, however, he is reported to have said that he saw in the MacDonald plan a possible starting point for a solution of the disarmament question, but it must demand no destruction of the existing defence system without conceding at least qualitative equality. Germany was ready to regard a fiveyear transitional period as adequate for the re establishment of national security, provided that at the end of the period Germany was on an equal footing with the others. Fuller disclosures of Germany’s attitude are expected when the discussions are resumed at Geneva.