Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-12-02
Growing Fears of Failure at
Geneva Revealed in
London.
AUTHORITY OF LEAGUE
Is BELIEVED SHAKEN
Manchurian War and Economic
Crisis Dim Hopes Despite Desire
for Peace Program.
BY NEGLEY FARSON.

BY cable TO Inc Star.
LONDON, England, December a
Evidence is increasing here that Great
Britain will favor, if not openly pro-
pose, postponement of the general dis
armament conference scheduled for
Geneva next February.
AS late as two weeks ago the British
foreign office has been giving insistent
and emphatic reasons why the confer
ence should be held in February. Its
tone is now changing to reasons why
the world situation might make the
parley inadvisable at such a time
Failure Greatly Feared.
An apparently inspired editorial in
the London Times today says that for
mer Foreign Minister Lord Reading, in
an indirect form, raised the question of
postponement at the National Peace
Conference Monday and that "the opin-
ion can hardly be held anywhere that
the circumstances Of the present mo-
ment are propitious for it's (the confer
ence's) success or that any marked
change for the better is probable before
February. And If doubt seems to be
thrown on the ACCESSIBILITY of never
theless holding the conference at its
appointed date, it is not because its
success is not desired, but, on the con-
trary, because it is realized what an
immense misfortune it would be for all
European stability if it should meet
and fail"
The London Times says that the au-
thority Of the League has been some
what shaken by its inability to control
events in Manchuria. 1t might be ire
parably damaged if there be break
down of the disarmament conference
with which its prestige is more closely
linked than with any other enterprises"
United States Attitude Understood.
Countries which have most to gain
from disarmament, says the London
Times, are these which have been
drastically disarmed by the peace
treaties and the initiative for post
ponement must come from them.
Does Germany, in particular, be-
lieve that three months hence would
be good moment to open the cen
ference?" the newspaper asks. I'm her
present economic and financial extrem-
ity would she be in position to press
her case to the best advantage?"
The newspaper says that the United
States desire to held the conference
as scheduled is well known and that
1t Is well understood that the American
attitude is that there can be no fur
Their debt reduction until progress has
been made with the reduction OF arma-
ments."
But, the writer continues, other CUES
lions are linked with the League and
disarmament, notably the French in
sistence en- "security"-"and security
quite unavoidably raises the point of
maintaining the status quo"
British Strength Weakened.
Herein lies the real British disin-
clination to enter the disarmament
conference under the present condi-
tons. England herself is in severe
economic and financial straits. The
French gold fist can be used, not only
to sway this country financially, but
to weaken her strength at interna-
tional conference tables
For such reasons the British are in
clined to believe that it would be
officially wrong to try to force the
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