Imperial Valley press., 1933-05-22
BY STEWART BROWN

GENEVA, May 2z.-Ihe united
States called on all nations today
to disarm drastically, and offered
to consult and cooperate with other
powers in the punishment of ag-
gressors.
The offer was regarded here as
marking the end of Americas ira
ditional policy of isolation.
President Roosevelt, boldly TAX
ing leadership of the worlds efforts
for peace, even proposed to aban-
don his nations cherished neutral
ity in event peace is threatened.
and virtually offered to scrap the
bulk of the powerful American navy
army and military air force, If
other nations will do the same.
The Presidents dramatic and
sweeping proposals were presented
to the general commission OF the
world arms conference by Norman
H. Davis, his special ambassador to
Europe.
Warning that another war
threatens if armament races are
not stopped, Davis called on the
nations for immediate action, and
boldly proposed to reduce all arm
aments ito the basis of domestic
police force"
Davis speech was regarded as
perhaps the most significant yet
made in the two years of disarma-
ment deliberations at Geneva. Sir
John Simon and Joseph Paul Bon
cour, British and French foreign
minister, followed the speech line
by line from written copies.
Davis emphasized the need for
speed to guard peace and aid eco
nomic recovery.
1t was considered significant that
the speech bore out the German
thesis that the other powers are
bound by the peace treaties to dis
arm practically to Germans level,
and should do so.
Davis warned solemnly against
rearmament, however, and reiter-
ated Presidents Roosevelt's state
ment in his recent peace message
that a recalcitrant nation would
be held guilty by world opinion.
GENEVA, May %. U.pJ = The
United States is prepared to aban-
don neutrality in event peace is
menaced," Norman H. Davis, Pre-
Sident Roosevelt's personal repre-
sentative, told the general commits
sion of the world arms conference
today.
The comission eagerly heard Da-
Wis announcement on behalf of
the President of the United States,
outlining the extent to which his
country is willing to go In the way
of guaranteeing security against an
aggresSor.
Davis called on the nations to
abolish aggressive weapons.
The United States, Davis said, is
prepared to consult with other ma
tions, and if the consultation proves
one nations is guilty of aggression.
the United States will agree to alb
stain from all action tending to
block any collective effort which
the nations might take to restore
peace, provided the United States
approved the Judgment rendered
by the nations
Davis announced the United
States is opposed to any change in
territorial status quo, or the re-
armament of any nation.
The United States, he declared,
will consider an aggressor any ma
ton which sends armed forces into
the territory of another "in viola
ton of peace treaties"
The United States, Davis said, fa-
vorS a system of effective, perman-
ent control of disarmament by re-
inforcing the powers of the leagues
permanent disarmament commits
sion.
The United States is convinced,
Davis continued, that there exists
contractural obligation of armed
states to reduce their ornaments to
a defensive level comparable ito
those of the vanquished powers al
ready disarmed by the peace trea-
ties"
ITO arrive at this result" Da-
Wis said, THE American delegation
demands abolition of offensive arm
aments and accepts the British
project, notably the chapter on
war materials"
Before Davis spoke, the German
delegation announced withdrawal
of its amendment to the British
plan which tended to reject the
proposed Standardization of Euro
pean armies. Arthur Henderson,
president of the conference read a
letter to that efefct from Rudolph
Nadolny, German delegate.