Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29

limitation by itself. On the other hand,
he was chiefly instrumental In the ef-
fecting Of agreement to give publicity
to war stocks.
Lord Cecil spoke effectively as fol-
lows for limitation Of war stocks:
None could doubt the growing i'm
portance of material in land warfare,
and 1t was not extravagant to say that
armies depend more and more on mate
rial and less on personnel, it being
quite possible that conditions of land
warfare in the future would approxi-
mate those on sea and In the air.
Hence the. root Of the matter was to
see whether or not land material could
be limited. as all agreed it should be
done with regard to sea and air.
But as observed. Lord Cecil, deem
ing it unreasonable to press his
proposals, withdrew his resolution, ex-
planning that his main object for the
present was omplished-namely, to
make clear certain views of the new
British Labor government and to mani
fest to the world that the said govern
ment does not consider itself anywise
bound by the attitude or assurances
mot embodied in treaty form Of its
Conservative predecessor respecting dis
armament questions.
The committee passed O resolution to
be submitted to the Assembly, cordially
welcoming the prospect of early agree
ment between the naval powers with
the view to limitation and reduction OF
naval ornaments, which agreement will
enable the preparatory commission to
| obtain q general agreement on the
methods to be adopted for the limi-
tation and reduction of naval arma-
ments." and expressing the confident
hope that the preparatory commission
Sh will ho IN re
with the view Of framing preliminary
draft convention for the reduction and
limitation OF land, naval and air arma-
mentS."
Apropos of the above, the semi-official
Paris Temps suggests that, II Britain
insists on limitation of trained army
reserves, she should set an example by
proposing similar limitation on war use
Of commercial fleets. and Thy way OF
conference. In its proper place. the
journal observes that "all the confer
ence can do is to elaborate a program
for the eventual general disarmament
conference"
The following summary OF the acnleve-
mentS by or in connection with the
late Assembly may be found useful. In
the lack of full information by the dis
patches, assume favorable action by
the Assembly on several resolutions the
emergence of which from committee
was the furthest stage reported by the
cables.
/. The speeches by the premiers of
Great Britain and France and the Tor
eign minister of Germany (the most
important man in the German gov
ernment), all three highly cordial TO.
ward practical efforts making for world
paciflcation and for the economic
solidarity Of Europe.
2. Not appointment Of committee
with the mandate to amend articles XII
and XIV Of the League covenant SO as
to bring them into fullest helpful accord
with the Paris pact; report to be mace
to next years Assembly.
3. Signature by representatives OF -
member states of the League OF tne
Optional clause" of the World Court
protocol The total of the signatorles
Of that clause Is now 43. The total OF
parliamentary notifications to date, now
ever, is only IS, and 1t should be oorne
in mind that some OF the acceptanCes
especially those OF members OF .ne
British commonwealth OF natlonso are
considerably weakened by reservations.
Yet, when alrs said, perhaps Mr.. Hen
derson's name of "the option clause
Assembly" Is not amiss.
4. Promise by the premiers OF France,
Greece and Finland and the foreign
minister of Czechoslovakia that they
will use every effort to persuade tne
legislatures of their countries TO ratIy
the I.eag,le's general act for compulsory
Arbitration Of all international dis.
putes, an act which to date hasseceived
no ratification.
S. Adoption by the Assembly OF
resolution contemplating action by the
proper League officials to result IN tne
convoking by the Council for the COM
ing January OF conference OF repre-
sentatiyes Of European states the which
should Crane the first collective agree
ment for developing and facilitating
economic relations among those states
by ali practicable means, especially py
lowering tariff barriers and reducing
hindrances to trade; the states particle