Evening star., 1932-02-05
Tardieu Proposal at Geneva
Comes as Surprise to
Arms Delegates.
REDUCTIONS ARE ALSO
OUTLINED IN STATEMENT
Paris Governments Outline Would
Guarantee Security of ALI
Nations of World.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
GENEVA, Switzerland, February S.
Concrete proposals for establishment
of an international police force to guar
antee the security of the world were
presented formally to the World Dis
armament Conference today by Andre
Tardieu, French minister of war and
head Of his country's delegation to the
conference.
Although today's meeting was origi-
nally called solely for the election of
officers, President Arthur Henderson
did not stand on technicalities. He
accepted the French document as in
order although general debate was not
scheduled before the conference until
next week.
Delegates Surprised.
The French declaration, presented
with a sudden gesture which took the
assembled delegates by surprise dealt
at great length with technical details
of armaments and national defense
M Tardieu particularly outlined
Frances wishes with regard to reduc-
ton of airplanes, tanks, big guns and
other instruments of aggressive war
fare.
1t was at the end of the days brief
session that Tardieu sprang his surprise
by asking for the floor for brief decla-
ration.
The bureau of the Conference hav-
ing been constituted" M Tardieu be-
gan, Il have the honor on behalf of
the French delegation to place on the
table of the Conference a concrete and
constructive proposal of the French
government bearing on disarmament"
Days Session Adjourned.
After the French plan had been pre-
sented today's plenary session adjourned
at sos pm.
The French plan, it was understood,
made reduction of ornaments condi-
tional upon the creation of effective
guarantees of international security and
embodied in practical manner" the
main points of French memorandum
in like vein submitted to the League
last August
The memorandum was the result Of
several months preparation by the
French cabinet and the Superior Coun-
Gil of National Defense in cooperation
with Gems. Weygand and Petain.
1t was understood also that the dec
laration today was largely technical
with political factors implied rather
than designated.
Only 20 Can Sign.
Only 20 of the 81 delegations attend
ing the conference have power from
their governments to sign an eventual
disarmament treaty.
France is the only great power,
however, which has not given her dele
CATION such authority. The Position of
Germany Poland and 10 other coun-
tries is indefinite, and as result the
conference has asked for a precise
definition of their powers.
The United States, British, japanese,
Italian, Russian, Argentine, Mexican
and Panama delegations are fully en-
abled by their governments to sign an
agreement. The delegations Of Brazil,
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Bolivia
Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela and Hon
duraS are not so authorized. 1t was
considered probable today, however
that these governments would give their
delegations more authoritative creden-
tials when the time comes to sign.
Earlier in the day, in accordance with
a decision of yesterday, the conference
designated IA countries to select vice
presidents, 7 of them chosen from the
big powers" and from the minor
powers.
Gibson Is Vice President.
The great powers chosen for this
honor were the United States, France.
Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan
and Soviet Russia and the minor pow
ers Spain, Sweden, Argentina, Belgium
Czechoslovakia, Poland and Austria.
1t was understood the head of each
delegation would be designated as vice
president, thus making Hugh S. Glib
son, Ambassador to Belgium, the Amer
lean vice president.
OF the 54 votes cast only France and
Italy received unanimous ballot while
Great Britain and the United States
got SO and So votes, respectively
Sweden received more than either
Japan, At, or Soviet Russia, SO.
President Henderson then constituted
the conference bureau, naming him
self an honorary president, as well as
the IA vice presidents, and called q
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