Evening star., 1933-05-31
ARMS TREATY LAGS
IN GENEVA PARLEy
U. S. Is Seeking to Compel
Speedy Conclusion of
General Agreement.
BY PAUL SCOTT MowRER.

BY Radio to The Star.
GENEVA, May 3I.-The situation at
the Disarmament Conference today
was as follows:
The first reading of the British draft
treaty will be finished in a few days.
Whether on security or electives on
land, sea and air material, on chemical
warfare OF, on the status OF the perma-
nent Disarmament Supervisory Com
mission. there a:e still many important
divergencies. 6 me progress has been
made on some points.
Many delegates now seem to expect
that the treaty has a good chance OF
being concluded by the end Of the year.
But anything like even vague general
agreement before the World Economic
Conference convenes June IL, in Lon
don, is clearly impossible.
The Steering Committee of the Con-
ference is therefore meeting late today
to decide the future procedure. The
Americans want to continue discus
sions without break. The French
seem to want an adjournment until
October. The British want to adjourn
for two or three weeks and then to re-
sumo the disarmament work and carry
1t through steadily to the finish.
British Plan Favored.
The British plan for an adjournment
for two or three weeks seems hkeiy OF
adoption.
In any case, as soon as the first
reading is ended two things must hap
pen: The committee must attempt to
revise the draft in the light OF the
positions taken by the principal powers
and must attempt to reduce the out
standing difficulties by private CONVEX
sations preparatory to the second read
ing.
The American idea seems to be that
these conversations should be held
right away next week in sensational
personal meeting between British
Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald,
French Premier Edouard Daladler,
German Chancellor Adolf Hitler, Italian
Premier Benito Mussolini and the chief
American representative, Norman H.
Davis.
The British seem to feel that the
conversations should be held on the
side In London during the opening
phases of the World Economic Con-
ference. while American Secretary OF
State Cordell Hull, is still there.
The Italians seem to think that the
best procedure would be to hasten the
signature of Mussolini's Horsepower
pact and then Germany, Italy. France
and Great Britain could consult on
disarmament in accordance with the
terms OF that pact. All this amounts
to saying that there Is still great un-
certainty.
u. 8. 20 Seek Speed.
The United States undoubtedly will
seek a speedy conclusion. It appears
to threaten to Isolate itself If the others
do not reach some kind OF constructive
agreement soofI. This threat does not
disturb the other great powers. What
ever the United States agrees to do,
they argue, 1t will agree to for its own
purposes TO protect its widespread in
terests as great power. Consequently
by isolation the United States would
be hurting itself. they say, perhaps
more than any one else
Meanwhile, the outlines Of the new
American security system are emerging
more and more clearly. What Presi-
dent Roosevelt proposes is: First. to
. consult under the Kellogg Pact: sec
ond, II the United States agrees re-
garding an aggressor. to withhold gov
ernment protection from the American
citizens who thereafter might seek to
trade with the aggressor, and third, the
United States would be willing to sign
a new non-aggression pact in accord
ance with President Roosevelts recent
dramatic appeal but the exact terms
rerna in tn he determined
Indicates Position.
The United States, however indicated
yesterday that something similar to the
following draft might suit:
. Being desirous Of promoting the
cause Of disarmament, with view to
encouraging the spirit and mutual con-
fldence among the nations by declara-
ton forbidding the resort to force in
circumstances in which the pact of
Paris fcrbids resort to war, the high
contracting parties solemnly reafirm
that they will not in any circumstances
resort among themselves to force as an
instrument of national policy"
In addition the British are pressing
the United States to state what it un-
(. derstands by aggression in connection
with consultation.
The United States being determined
= to make no commitments without first
: knowing where it stands. the British in
sist they must know in advance, at
:. least unoflcially, how the United States
would define an aggressor. Many other
even further and give an official Amer
ican definition Of aggression.
(CopyrIsht, 1889