The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-04
SOVIET FARLEY ON A R M { LIMITATION MEETS IN MOSCOW
Russia Calls Upon Bordering Nations to Lower Standing Armies-Litvinoff Is
 Chosen Chairman

Moscow, December 3.-The disar- mament conference called in an en- deavor to bring permanent peace to central and western Europe was for mally opened yesterday with dele- gates present from the western bor- der states of Russia, excepting Ru- mania. which was represented by Po- land.
 Maxim Litvinoff, the assistant com missar of foreign affairs for soviet Russia, was chosen chairman. He began the session by explaining the endeavors of the soviet government to bring up at the recent Genoa con- ference the question of disarmament.
 Narrow Question
 Having failed, the soviet was com pelled by Encouragement to narrow down the problem by bringing up the question of disarmament merely be- fore its western neighbors, feeling certain a solution of this matter will result In closer ties with Russia s neighbors and have an effect in all Europe"
 The conference held It's session in the ball room of the former German legation, where Count von Mirbach, the German ambassador, was assassi- mated In 1918. Breaks in the painted ceiling and the walls of the ball room caused by the explosion of the bomb which killed Won Mirbach had not been repaired, and the delegates spent some time inspecting them and other portions of the room prior to the call ing of the conference to order.
 Outlines Declaration
 M. Litvinoff in outlining the soviet governments declaration said the ac- tual reduction in standing armies was insufficient in itself to bring about a full solution of the prob lem of a mutual limitation in arma- ments; therefore. it was proposed to hold down military budgets by strictly fixing a maximum figure of military expenditures per soldier. His proposal included simultaneous liquidation of the countries involved of their regular military formation composed of certain groups of the civilian population. It emphasized the importance of mutual neutraliza- tion of border zones.
 These proposals" said Lityinoff, "the Russian government holds to be concrete and feasible and cannot be
  moral disarmament which is so of ten brought up at international con ferences, the participants in which desire, under a plausible pretext, to avoid the actual realization of the popular cry for sarmament."
 Must Have Navy
 Continuing, Litvinoff said the Rus sian government greatly regretted being unable at present to offer pro- posals regarding naval forces because after the reduction of the naval forces in 1917 to one-fourth 1t con siders it necessary to maintain navy as a means of defense against pos sible attacks by more powerful coun- tries"
 "The government" Litvinoff added. considers it duty to provide for the defense of the Russian coast by its own forces until the time when the government succeeds in concluding agreements with naval powers whose warships can freely enter seas which give them access to the Russian shores. The Russian government will, however, welcome any decision of the conference aiming at the at tainment of a general agreement on the other hand on armed naval forces"
 ion of the soviet that it's proposals gave the conference sufficient basis for the discussion of all minor ques- tions of military. technical and fi- nancial character.