Evening star., 1932-02-06
CECIL URGES CUT
IN ARMS EXPENSE
Also Proposes Extension of
League Covenant and AboIi.-
tion of Chemicals.
Continued From First Page.)

women marched into the conference
hall with green bands on their arms
across which the white word pax"
(peace) was written.
In their hands they carried 5000
petitions bearing the names OF more
than 100000 people of nearly so
countries, 100000 of which signatures
came from the United States.
Most Of these unofficial delegates
were women. Four Of the women
were admitted to the platform, while
the rest occupied seats in the visitors
gallery.
Representatives of the various groups
made brief speeches. Miss Mary Ding
man, American representative of the
World Committee Of the Young Wom-
ems Christian Association, spoke for IA
international womenS organizations
numbering 100000 members in 5s
countries. These brought petitions
signed by 5,72s,00O women, she said.
Many Delegates Absent.
Although many official delegates to
the conference were absent from to-
days session, the four American dele
gates were present. DR.. Mary E. Wool
ley, who, as member of the Petitions
Committee Of the conference, helped to
stage today's demonstration, watched
the proceedings with great interest.
Miss Dingman spoke following an ad-
dress Of M. Titulescu, Rumanian Min
lister at London who was president Of
the last two assemblies of the League
These signatures" Miss Dingman
said, represent only a fraction of the
volume of conviction of the urgency
and necessity for disarmament which
Is growing on all sides.
Behind each signature there is
great fear of the destruction of our
civilization, but there is also a great
will for peace which must not be de-
MED. 1t has sometimes been urged by
politicians that the world is not ready
for disarmament. Here, at least, is
proof that the world is ready and will
ing"
battle-ground OF Controversy.
The conference today became bat
tleground Of controversy, loosed by the
proposal for arming the League of Ma
tons which was tossed into the arena
by the French government yesterday.
Up to that time the parley had been
as tranquil as Lake Geneva itself but
today the SO delegations were plunged
into heated arguments over the merits
of the plan to make the League
WoL&a pOlAScIIdAlJ 4uA49 CQuAPPCQ w
keep the nations from fighting by dint
Of force.
Andre Tardieu, French minister OF
war and head of the French delega-
tion to the conference, got the jump
on the chiefs of the delegations of
other big powers by his unexpected
move in proposing the international
armed force and gained for France un-
challenged leadership in the confer
ence.
Hostile Reaction Sought.
The agitation today was all the more
remarkable because the French proposal
was by no means new. 1t was the sud-
denness OF its presentation and the
dramatic style Of the announcement to
the assembled newspaper correspondents
OF many nations that set Geneva's cos
mopolitan population agog.
The italian delegation, through an
unofficial spokesman, Immediately de-
nounced the French plan as a proposal
for another armed state-"indeed a
super-armed state" The Germans and
British could find in it no word about
disarmament, they said.
The Russian delegation scorned it
and called it a means Of increasing in
ternational insecurity. The American
delegation stood aloof from the project.
Many veteran observers, however.
expressed the conviction that this
hostile reaction is exactly what Premier
Laval Of France wanted Attacks upon
the French plan, they said, should be
likely to drive the French Left parties
into the arms Of the government and
strengthen the French Nationalist de-
mand for an increase in national means
Of defense instead of reduction CT
armaments