The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-12
SLO W DISARM|NG
 OF WORLD, DECISION, ASSEMBLY RE'''ss
Programme to Provide Agree ment to Cease Increase, Gradual Reduction and
 Finally Complete
By Associated Press

Geneva, December 11.-Disarmamen ent of the world must be slow and grad ual process is the decision reached by the League of Nations assembly conn mission which has been deliberating on the question more than three weeks. The opinions of leading members of the commission are that neither the political situation nor public opinion is yet ready for full realization of that object.
 In fact even beginning the reduc- tion of armaments is not considered possible by the commission at the pres ent time. Accordingly the programme which will be presented to the assem- ply is to proceed in three stages. The nrst involves an agreement between the powers to make no further in- crease in armament. The second will provide for a gradual reduction on a basis which will be laid down by the armament commission of the council of the league. The third will provide for general and complete disarmament when it may be found that the situa- tion permits it.
 MUST KEEP UP WITH U. s.
 viscount Ishii has improved the oc- not reduce her armament so long as the United States increases hers. One conspicuous fact to date is the neces- sity of propaganda to prepare the world for radical solution of the question.
 The covenant of the league again gave rise to a long and confused de- bate in the assembly this afternoon. The question was how to choose the four elected members of the council The committee, which decided the most important point by only one majority after a long and difficult dis cussion, proposed that the terms of these members be limited to two years and that members shall be eligible for Reelection for two years more, then ineligible for reelection during the succeeding four years. This provision IS Intended to facilitate access to the council of all members of the league. Another provision which was more stoutly contested apportioned the members among the different conti- nents, Europe and the Americas get ting three and Asia one. This pro- vlsion IS held to be contrary to the covenant, which provides that the assembly shall freely" choose the members of the council, while appor-' tionment would tie the hands of the next assembly.
 A dispute between Chile and Bolivia in the League of Nations assembly to- day has raised the possibility of the withdrawal of one country or the oth- CT from the league
 The dispute arose over the submis- slon to the assembly of the Tacna- Africa case. which involved these north- ern provinces of Chile taken by Chile from Peru in the war between these nations nearly 40 years ago in which Bolivia also was involved, and the Peruvian and Bolivian claims con corning them.
 The manner of choosing the four elec- tive members of the League of Nations council developed a long and earnest de- pate in the assembly today in which pr. Aristides Agurero, Cuba; Wellington Roo. China; A. J. Balfour, England and Edward D. Millen, Australia, were the principal participants.
 The Cuban delegate was warmly ap- plauded whom he contended that the as- sembly was able to decide for itself what its procedure should be.