1929-10-10 — Page 7

NAVAL DISARMAMENT: BRITISH NOTE.

JAPAN AWAITING REPLIES FROM FRANCE AND ITALY.

WASHINGTON, TREATY MAY BE RECONSIDERED.

DOMINIONS TO APPOINT REPRESENTATIVES.

The British Note suggesting the formation, of a Five-Power Conference to discuss the limitation of Maval armaments has just bean published and reveals an important step in the direction of the furtherance of peace. There is reason to believe that Japan may go further and urge for disarmament rather than mere 'limitation.

Although oficial replies from France and Italy have not yet been despatched, there is reason to believe that they will in no way reject the invitation nor fail to respond to the spirit which notuated the British Government in issuing it.

COMPLETE PRINCIPLE OF PARITY.

(British Official Wireless.]

LONDON, October 9, The Foreign Office this morning publishes the text of an identical

Note addressed yesterday by Mr. Arthar Henderson, the British Foreign Secretary, to the French, Italian and Japanese Ambassadors

Date of Conference.

"In view of the scope of these discussions," the Note continues, "both Governments consider it to

THE HONG KONG

JAPAN'S PEACE GESTURE.

ATTITUDE TO 5-POWER CONFERENCE.

LIKELY CHIEF DELEGATE MENTIONED.

(THROUGH AKUTER'S AGENCY.)

DAILY PRESS. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10,

1929.

Tokyo, Oct. 9. Indications at present are that Mr. Shidehara will draft a reply to the invitation to the proposed Arm Conference and present it to the, Cabinet for approval on October 11, although, before despatching it, it may be necessary to ask Mr. Matsudaira for an interpretation of the word "text" in the final para- the graph of the invitation as exact meaning is not clear.

While it is unlikely that, the raply will contain any drastic reserva tions, it may contain certain minor reservations as it je known that certain officials consider that Japan should make it quite clear should | she be not satiefied with the agree

ment suggestion if it involves the expansion of armaments.

The question of Japan's chief delegate ja stili undecided, but it seems likely the Reijiro Wakatsuki will be selected.

Press Comment.

White Asahi is the only paper be desirable that conference thus far which has devoted a lead- should be summoned to consider the categories not covered by the Wash article to the British invitation to an Arins Conference, its views reflect tic general appear to ington Treaty, and to arrange for, and deal with, the questions cover. Lupinion upon the matter.

Welcom- in London, inviting their Governed by the second paragraph of ing the invitation, dahi urges ments to participate in a five-Power Article 21 of that Treaty.

Japan to reply accepting at the It is our earnest hope that your soonest possible memeus and hopes conference to deal with the ques Government will agree to the desire France and Italy will do like tion of naval armament, which it ability of such conference., is proposed to hold in London in the latter part of January next.

Japaa has already sufficiently in dicated her willingness to accept the invitation, but there is a ramour that France may offer objections to London and will nak that Geneva be chosen as the venue. No infor

mation to this effect is. howevet available from official sources in Paris.

The British Note.

wine.

His Majesty's Government in the As agreement between the nations United Kingdom and the Govern-will reduce expenditure, the paper ment of the United States are in accord that such conference should be held in London at the beginning of the third week of January, 1930, and it is hoped your Government will be willing to appoint represen- tatives to attend it."

His Majesty's Government in the Dominions are being asked to ap point representatives to take part in the conference.

Informal Conversations, In the same way as the two Gov- The British Note says:-"I have

eruments have kept Your Excellency the honour to inform Your Excel-informally an courant of the recent lency that the informal conversu discussion, so now His Majesty's tions on the subject of naval dis- Government will be willing in the interval before the proposed confer- armament which have been pro enne to continue informal conver- eeeding in London during the last antions with Your Excellency on three months, between the Prime any points which may require eluci Minister and the Ambassador of the United States, have now reach ed the state at which it is possible to say that there is no point out standing of euch serious importance

as to prevent an agreement.

From time to time, the Premier has notified Your Excellency of the progress made in these discussions, and I now have the honour to state that a provisional and informal agreement has been reached on the following principles :—

conversations have First, the been one of the results of the treaty for the renunciation of war signed at Paris in 1928, which brought about realisation of our national attitudes on the subject of security, in consequence of the provision that war should not be used as an instrument of national policy in the realitions of nations, one to an- other..

Therefore the Peace Pact has been regarded as the starting point of the agreement.

Britain's Ides of Parity, Secondly, it has been agreed to adopt the principle of parity in

dation.

The importance of reviewing the whole naval situation at an early date is so vital in the interests of a general desire that I trust Your Excellency's Government will see their way to accept this invitation and that the date proposed will be

agrecable to them.

His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom propose to com- municate to you, in due course, their views as to the subjects which they think should be discussed at the conference and will be pleased to receive a corresponding commu nication from your Government.

It is hoped that at this confer- ence the principal naval powers may be successful in forming an

agreement.

We would like to emphasise that His Majesty's Government have discovered no inclination. in any answer to set up new machinery for dealing with the naval disarmament question. On the contrary, it is hoped that by this means a text

can be

elaborated which

will facilitate the task of the League of Nations' Preparatory Commis- sion and of the subsequen tGeneral Disarmament Conference,"

General Dawes,

In fransmitting a copy of the Note to General Charles Dawes, the American Ambassador in London, Mr. Arthur Henderson says! As I understand the Government of

approves the suggestions to post none the replacement of capital ships but takes occasion to express dissatisfaction with the large crui- ser tonnage tentatively agreed upon by Britain and America and reiter. atcs the demand that Japap con tinue to strive to secure actual reduction of armaments and not be content with mere limitation...

·WILLING-BUT" CAUTIOUS!

JAPAN STUDYING POINTS.

(THAOCÓN REUTER'S DANCY.}

|

SOME OF TO-DAY'S FEATURES.

Racing Notes

Future of Wei-halwal