Evening star., 1928-03-24
NEW RUSSIAN PLAN
FOR DISARMAMENT
STUDIED At GENEVA
Arbitrary Reduction of Armies
and Navies Provided
For in Proposal.
CALLS LEADING NATIONS
DOMINATING" POWERS
Project Brings Caustic Comment
From Delegates-Bernstorff
Supports Soviet.

GENEVA, March 24-RuSsia's new
project for world disarmament was in
the hands Of all delegates when the
preparatory committee for disarma-
rlent conference met this morning.
L provided for progressive disa'ma-
r1ent based on an arbitrary scale. cut
ting down the armies and navleS IN
proportion TO the Importance of the
various countries.
II provided also for q commission to
control the schemes application. This
commission eventually would be COM
prised of workers. laborers and inter-
national organizations established to
work toward peace.
The project brought caustic comment
from the delegates. They asserted that
81 vas drafted in the tone OF propa-
ganda. They disliked the manner in
which il referred TO the principal world
powers as dominating powers.
Previous Scheme Broader.
The previous Soviet scheme. which
was rejected. provided for complete dis
armament within four years. All arms
and material were 10 be destroyed. All
forces were to be diSbanded. NavleS
were TO be abolished and the material
B64N O4 CAA4@A4CAASr "a eAA~NA -
flons, mines and torpedoeS destroyed.
DiSarmed ships might be refitteo as
commercial shipping. War industries,
including those that contributed To the
production OF arms, were TO be abol-
ished.
There was an overwhelming majority
against the disarmament proposal as
first enunciated by NJ. Lityinoh. and 1t
was supposed that that would end the
srf Fr1-s "A hzYf after fNnp
discussion by the delegates, IN which they
wandered far af1eld. the head Of the
Russian delegation sprang his surprise
OF new proposals. probably modified.
Hugh S. Gibson. American AmbaSsa-
dor 10 Belgium. at yesterdays proceed
ings suggested that the second reading
Of the committees draft convention be
put over TO q date 10 be fixed by the
President, taking into account the prog
ress Of the negotiations between the
powers whose views are divergent.
Germans and Russians Oppose.
Everybody agreed to this except the
Germans and Russians. Count von
Bernsturn. heading the German dele
gztsnna insisted on an immediate Sec
ond reading Of that convention, despite
the fact that the governments are not
tn accord. The Turks. who were In
Russians on their arrival here, dTifted
away from them and took sides with
the conservatives, who held that moth
ing useful can be done until the gov
ernments are IN agreement. because no
one believed that governments can be
obliged 70 disarm in spite OF themselves.
Count von Bernstorn persisted. and
81 the afternoon session introduced res
oiution calling on the Council Of the
e. a.
rnent conference a. an early date after
the netx assembly.
N IstVtnod rallied TO Count Won
EernstorS. and Won BernSt0rE rallied
10 IAty1noH. the German delegate ex-
pressing the opinion that the new Rus
sian project ought 70 BE- examined.
The debate developed sharp passages
between Won Berngsorn ON one side
and Lord Cus1en0an, Great Britain,
and Count Ciaucel. France. on the
ether
Won Berngsorf, 10 q resolutions pro-
posed that a first step" be taken to-
ward disarmament. The French and
British resented this insinuation that
nothing had been done thus far and
reminded the German that few things
already had been accomplished.
Bernstorn Urges Disarmament.
Ven Be.nstorff declared that Ger
xasny by accepting forced diSarma-
raert Though the treaty Of Versailles
rad claim on the other powers which
ets1i vas uEgatlsfled. The time had
come when tfey must acqtIit Germany
by beginning 10 clsarm themselves.
The delegates. who we're getting
ready for their return home last night,
showed !Knpatlence al the KusSo-Jff-
man tactics. which prevented them
from finishing their work The debate
finally became 50 invoked that few Of
fae DELEGATES were aware Of 3ilst what
vas under discussion. when Sea0r Perez
Of Argentina appealed 10 the chair 10
throw some light on the situation. He
voiced the despair % many Of the dele
gates. who were lost ia the confusing
fslazeg Of the discussion, sa ylng PROF
ectS are introduced here then diGap-
pear. no one knows what has hap
pene6. Resolutions are read, then are
l0gs sight Of Nov il Is proposed by
Count Won BernEtor!t that conference
on disarmament De called But there
as no program"
Tne chairman with the aid Of few
o. the delegates, mace 81 effort W in
Yages the situation II vas understood
when the committee adjourned that the
rev Pusslan proposals Slli not be con
Sidere1 st this meetlng. The teZt prob
sDly will be forwarded W the yafi0is
governments fof their information
The first Russian project for total
disarmament. however, remains on the
esleycar. The plan pas rejected by al.
most unanimous consent. bur the reso-
Ilts5n actually oisposing NJ il failed Of
setion In the confusion u the after
noon.
Count von EernKtortf ~ Germany
al,ok the offensive against governments
WHICH ip his opinion. are s1irkiDg the
effort 10 reach q conprcmise regard
3uR their differences oyer ihe commit
tee's draft convention.
II Ne ca3l q convention" ile SAID
"ti3e governments viii De obliged "
get 10 work.
Chilean Dslegats Opp0sss
gafge Valdez Mendeyilie oi Chic
ttterJeeted opposition ~ Count Won
Eernstorfg proposal We cannot
make any suggestions ~ the Council
CONCERNING disarmament conference
until the preparatory work is finished. :"
ne said,
g0ukheey I,osiGon of Holland chair
man III the committee, then declared
ttat s large ma l0rlty was against tbf
German proposal " fix date for the
Conference bat tie German delegate
psyeFfheleas insisted on mskiag another
iengthy declaration
A