Disarmament

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 214, 10 October 1929, Page 5

Disarmament

British Official Wireless).

C0MMENTS 0F THE PRESS Mr MacDonald's Yisit To The States CONEIDENCE AND SINCERITY.

(Eeoeived This Day, Moon). RUGBY, Oct. 9. The British invitation to the fivePower Naval Oonference in London next January is gerierally described in press comment as marking a further step fonvard. The Daily Herald says, "The terms of the invitation are wide and carefully safeguard the entire free(dom of action of every Covernment coucerned. "It is suggested tliat the conference sliall reconsicler the hattleship replacement programme of tlie Washington Treaty and that it shall consider the categories of cruisers, destroyers, submarines, etc., not covered by that treaty." The Daily Telegraph says, "London and Wasliington are seeking to give a lead in a new approach to tbe problem of naval disarmament. Tbe lead conies nntnrally from tbe two Powers whose interest in that problem is tbe greatest and who have now liappily succeeded in nrljusting tbese matters of difference whicli existed. Tlie proposals are as plain and frank as tbe purpose of tlie statesmansliip wbich has prompted them." The Dailv News says. "Tliere .is no question of an exclusive alliance between Great Britain and the United States. The other naval Powers have heen kept fully informed of the course of tlie negotiations and as Mr MacDonald himself pointed out in his address to the , Americnn Senators, neither in Great Britain nor in the Statcs would the idea of an exclusive alliance he tolerated." The Daily Chronicle says, "The whole position has heen fundamentally altered by the Kellogg Pact. All the great Powers have signed the undertaking to renounce the policy of war and if that undertaking means what it says the signatories need no longer arm one against another. They can safeJy prove their sincerity hy turning some at least of their swords into plQughshares." The Manchester Guardian says, "The Anglo-American cruiser agreement is born of confidence which admits inferioritv at a point where each side bas hitherto stipulated for at least equality. Tliat degree of confidence does not yet exist among the European Powers hut short of that much rnay he achieved. Even arithmetical limitation will be fruitful. Jt can he progvessively increased ae is now to he done with hattleships, hecause. after all, if onlv equality or a fixed ratio is allowed one mav as well have it as cheaply as possible, while the soaling down of armaments and the ahsenee of competition tend in tbemselves to lielp the growth of confidence, 011 which we must depend for msior resiflts." Mr Ramsay MaoDouald this afternoon visited Mount A7ernon and dennsited wreaths on the tomh of George WnsTnnsrfon and the *grave of the Unkncwn Warrior. He is takincc formal leave of the President at White House this evening and leaves to-morrow morning for fhiladelphia a'nd New York