The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-07-25
LITvINOFF'S SPEECH
Gable by Inprecorrl

MOoCoW, July z2.-MaXlm IlLVl-
noff. head of the Soviet delegation to
the disarmament" conference, spoke
on Friday before the General Com
mission of the Disarmament" con-
ference at Geneva in connection with
the Benesh draft Resolution, with
which the conference adjourned.
Litvinoff began his speech with the
statement that the DELEGATES confer
ence had had to r'ait long for the
resolution. If r Vienna Congress
is now usually allied the Gay Con-
gress," the present conference will
probably enter history under the
name of the waiting conference
Pointing out further that the pa
thence of the delegates had not been
rewarded by the results of. waiting,
Litvinof turned to analysing the sep
arate points of the Resolution. He
said, eve cannot help admitting that
the resolution brings bitter disap-
pointment to all peoples and organi-
cations which placed their hopes in
the conference regarding peace, and
justify the dark prophecies and mis-
givings of those who from the very
beginning didn't share these hopes
and illusions. Though the resolution
begins with the assertion that the
time is ripe for adoption by all nations
of the world of essential and extern
sive measures on disarmament for
the consolidation of universal peace,
the rest of the Resolution completely
negates this assertion. 1t recognizes,
on the contrary, that the powers rep
resented at this conference didn't
find the time ripe for final adoption
of at least one ,resolute measure on
disarmament"
Resolution of GeneraIities
Pointing out that the Resolution is
full of general phraseology and dec
larations and has only one concrete
point, namely on chemical, bacteria
logical and fire warfare, Litvinoff
states that this point doesn't give
anything new because even back in
1925 it was under discussion, and
negation of these methods of warfare
fixed in the so-called Geneva proto-
col" which was drafter by "a powers.
Now, this point Of the Resolution,
drafted in general terms, in case of
adoption would only leave the hands
OF those powers free which ratified
the Geneva Protocol"
Litvinoff further stated that both
this question and that on the pro-
hibition on bombardment Of civilian
populations is rather in the COM
petence of the Red Cross Union than
the disarmament conference. Apart
from this point no one recognizes in
theory the right to lombard civil
populations and when effected it is
always done under the pretsxt OF
bombarding certain military objects.
The only guarantee against the bonn
harding of civilian populations is by
absolute prohibition of military avia-
ton or at least of bombing planes.
Didn't Raise Cumulative Dis
armament
Pointing out that the majority of
the points in the Resolution refer TO
the question of so-called qualitative
disarmament, Litvinoff expressed the
view that the fundamental questions
must be quantitative disarmament
The Preparatory Commission, he said,
generally didn't raise the question
Of cumulative disarmament.
Litvinoff stressed that Though the
conference was called and gathered
for reduction of ornaments, however
we delegates, to the natural question
which will be put as to what per
centage Of disarmament it has been
decided to reduce will be unable to
answer on the basis of the proposed
resolution because not only was there
no decision but the question itself
had almost not been raised by the
conference.
Litvinoff further pointed out that
the Soviet delegation had proposed
alternatively to its proposal for COM
plete universal disarmament, an alb
solutely concrete project for the re-
duction of all types of ornaments
by so per cent. Pointing out that
had the Soviet proposal been taken
up for discussion, other delegations
could have advanced their proposals
ne declared one could then have
spoken Of a certain step forward.
Secret Private Negotiations
Litvinoff declared the delegations
had been doomed to complete inac.