2 JULY 1932, Page 6

The Cabinet and the Hoover Plan It is understood that

the Cabinet's reply to President Hoover's disarmament plan is about to be made known, and that it takes the form of a set of alternative proposals. Whatever may be said of that on technical grounds, it is a profound mistake psychologically. Nothing is more important than for this country to keep as closely in step with the United States as possible at all points, and to say, like Sir John Simon at Geneva, and Mr. Baldwin (a little more guardedly) in the House of Commons, that the American proposals are very interesting but we can go one better is not the most promising basis for Anglo- American co-operation. We should accept the Hoover plan at once in principle, with reservations, if necessary, regarding details.