Evening star., 1932-12-27
DAVIS OPTIMISTIC
ON ARMS OUTLOOK
Diplomat Tells President
elect There Are Favorable
Signs Apparent.
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
ALBANY, N. Y, December az
President-elect Roosevelt and Norman
H. Davis continued today their private
discussion OF world disarmament, war
debts and economics. The American
diplomat told Mr. Roosevelt last night
there are favorable signs. on the dis
arma ment horizon.
Mr.. Davis, who was sent by President
Hoover as American delegate to the
disarmament conference at Geneva, re-
manned as an overnight guest at the
executive mansion after a fireside con-
ference with the President-elect. Sit
ting in the Roosevelt study, he related
his belief that disarmament is neces-
.sary to restoration of world confidence
and credit, and said he believed impor-
tant steps had been taken toward the
reduction Of armamentS. This in turn,
he predicted. would have a favorable
effect on efforts for successful world
economic conference.
After another talk with Mr.. Roose-
welt this morning Mr.. Davis plans took
him to New York for a meeting with
American members of the Committee
on Agenda for the world economic con-
ference, which he said would probably
be in Lonodn early next Summer.
Newspaper Men Present.
He arrived at the executive mansion
late yesterday afternoon few minutes
after Gov Roosevelt himself had re-
turned from Hyde Park, where he spent
Christmas with his family The con-
ference of the two old friends began
almost Immediately. with newspaper
men sitting in during the first part of
the conversation.
I'VE need disarmament to restore
confidence Davis said. because conf
dence means credit, and credit is the
Dynamo for trade and commerce"
The first step, he said. would be to
persuade France and Italy to indorse
the terms Of the London naval agree
ment of 1880, particularly regarding
submarine construction. Disarmament
advocates, he said, believed they could
ban submarines, in spite of the OBJ
jections of France and Japan. or. at
least, limit them to coastal defense.
Then. by outlawing offensive weapons,
poison gas mobile heavy artillery and
bombing airplanes and banning the
manufacture of aerial bombs. the world
would be ready to work toward
restoration Of confidence, he went on.
These problems will be inherited by
the President-elect, and I came here
to talk with him about them" he said.
Describes Commission Plan.
He described for Mr.. Roosevelt the
set-up for a suggested Permanent In
ternational Disarmament Commission
to function even in event of war being
declared to prevent knockout blows"
by the deadly instruments Of offensive
warfare.
Mr.. Roosevelt expressed the view that
world security would return as the
deadly instruments OF war were re-
duced and mentioned that the late
Premier Clemenceau OF France had
once told him that "the one essential
for France out Of the World War was
security" !.
Il asked him for his definition OF
security" Mr.. Roosevelt said. He re-
piled that for a thousand years no gen
Grafton of French babies had been born
and gone through life to threescore
and ten without knowing some kind
of trouble with Germany. Since that
was true. he said. the guarantee CT no
war with Germany would constitute
security for the French. think that
feeling Is still there"
Davis remarked that he had observed
what he believed was growing
willingness among the French to see
Germany recovered rather than I'M
poverished.