Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-22
SOVIET PLAN
REJECTED By
z COUNTRIES
Geneva Preparatory Com
mission Opposes Total
Disarmament
GIBSON TALKS
u. S. Delegate Takes Stand
Against Russian Anti
War Proposal
GIBSON TALKS

GENEVA, March 21 (P-TWenty-
two of the 25 countries represented
on the preparatory committee for a
disarmament conference are lined up
tonight against the Soviet plan for
immediate complete disarmament
Hugh S. Gibson, the United States;
David Whitmarsh, Cuba; Baron Rolin-
Jacquelnyns, Belgium; Jonkeer Rut-
gers, Holland; E. Heening, Sweden;
M. Sokal, Poland, and M. Marko-
witch, Jugo-Slavia, added their crit
icisms to these OF yesterday, making
the Russian defeat overwhelL~n
Notwithstanding this, Maxim Lit
vinoff, the Russian vice comnissar
of foreign affairs, and head OF the
Soviet delegation, will speak again
tomorrow in favor of his plan, after
which he rray withdraw, ii the plan
is either discarded !. or referred to
the various governments by the dele
gates for instructions.
Ambassador Gibson surprised by
taking the floor today. 1t had be-
come generally understood that the
Americans would not reply to the
bid contained in M. Litvinoffs speech
on Monday for American support for
the Soviet project, All attention was
centered on him as he began with
q direct answer to the Soviet in these
words:
"In the opinion of one of the dele
cations, sincerity, consistency, and
logic should impel country which
had proposed g. multi-lateral pact
against war to support the proposals
now before us for immediate and
complete disarmament 1t is pre-
cisely on the grounds Of sincerity,
consistency and logic that my govern
ment supports the idea of a multi
lateral pact renouncing war as an
instrument of national policy, and at
the same time finds Itself unable to
support the drastic proposals for
immediate and complete disarmament,
which we do not believe are calcu-
lated to achieve their avoWed pur'
pose.''
There were mods OF approval all
around the committee table, except
by the Germans, Russians and Turks,
when Mr.. Gibson went on to say:
"We are engaged in this study OF
how to effect limitations and the
reduction of ornaments, by agree
ment. We are now asked to scrap
this work which is the result OF
several years negotiations and accept
in it's place total immediate dis
armament, which has frequently been
considered in the past and invariably
rejected as unworkable."
The debate might have ended there,
for the fate OF the Soviet plan was
sealed, but several otf-er delegates
wanted to free their minds, and
occupied the remainder of the day
in giving their views. Among them
Baron Rolin-Jacquemyns made the
greatest stir, when, looking straight
at M. Litvinoff, he cried:
"AnNolive branch is brandished over
our heads in such way as to re-
semble a cudgel rather than an
emblem OF peace Hatred Of our
civilization is behind this project
Commandant David Whitmarsh, OF
Cuba, reminded M. Litvinoft that
modern arms, such as he wishes tn
suppress, were not always the favorite
weapons in warfare.
"The people OF Cuba he said, lin
their long struggle for independence
used a single machete. That is what
-other peoples would dc when de-
termined to tight if unable TO procure
modern weapons