Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-20
4 NATIONS PROMISE
TO AID ARMS CUT
BRAND, Henderson, Curtius
and Grandi Favor Early
Assembly.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
GENEVA, January 20.-Discussion of
disarmament began today in the League
of Nations Council but the delegates
did not reach the point of fixing date
for general disarmament conference.
1t was said that date had not even
been agreed upon privately and there
was some ground for belief that Ger
many's demand for a conference next
November was gaining support. 1t was
thought, however, that more likely
date is February, 1882.
Aristide BRAND, Arthur Henderson,
Julius Curtius and Dino Grandi today
joined in pledging their governments
to cooperate in a program from limit
ing armament and agreed that the ma
tons should assemble to frame gen.
eral treaty as soon as possible.
Discussion of this important issue is
to be resumed tomorrow and it was ex-
pected that conference date would be
agreed upon after full debate. Today's
expressions on the. subject followed a
report on the Preparatory Disarmament
Commission.
BRAND Sees Reductions.
BRAND, in an address reviewed the
Leagues work for peace and expressed
the conviction that the disarmament
program has been so well advanced that
the next conference cannot fail to at
tain an agreement which will be the be-
ginning of progressive reduction OF
arms.
Both Curtius and Grandi urged that
far6 "a e.
cided upon The Italian Minister, re-
ferring indirectly to the naval difficult
ties between his country and France,
declared this source of irritation would
be eliminated before the next arms
conference. Security, he said, must be
considered in determining the degree
of arms reduction, but must not be
made an essential preliminary to re-
duction.
Henderson, in an address, denounced
the system of military alliances which
has prevailed in Europe.
Holds Covenant Supreme.
OF several nations called to mind by
the utterance, France perhaps has the
most extensive system of military alli-
ances, having grouped herself with Bel
GUM, Poland, Jugoslavia. Czechoslovakia
and Rumania in defensive military
| agreements.
Some people say that the drift has
already begun toward the old system Of
alliances for warlike ends. and that
these alliances are undermining the au-
thority of the covenant and the League, =
Mr.. Henderson commented.
This is dangerous talk, for in my
opinion no alliance can be made that
is not subject to the covenant, and the
authority of the covenant Is supreme.
No government, however powerful, can
either desire or venture to fiout the
League or violate the League obligations
it has undertaken"
Curtius, who followed the Englishman
to the floor, repeated Germany's 20
test against inequality OF disarmament
responsibility.
1T is no use to talk disarmament"
he said. until the parity of security is
nearer realization"
Grand, in a short address. said that
security is an essential factor in de-
termining the degree of disarmament,
but is not in the view of the Italian
government an essential preliminary.
Agrees With Henderson.
BRAND agreed with Henderson as to
the necessity for disarmament if the
menace of war is to be escaped. He
praised the work Of the disarmament
commission.
M. BRAND said that he regarded the
forthcoming first disarmament confer
ence merely as phase to be followed
by Others He foresaw the conference
as resulting not only in the limitation
of arms but in appreciate reductions.
He denied that recent years had seen
increases in national ornaments, as
sorting that really there had been a
decrease by many nations and he listed
his own government as one who had
cut her armament. He spoke of de-
mands of the Soviet Union for total
disarmament at this time as quite Wis
| ionary,