Adjourning Disarmament The decision to adjourn the Disarmament Conference •
till October is an extremely regrettable necessity—if necessity it is. On that point Mr. Henderson's very definite convictions must be treated with respect. There are obvious reasons, none the less, for viewing the decision with misgiving. It is quite true that the conversations which it had been hoped would take place in the last few weeks have not materialized, and Mr. Henderson is entitled to complain (though he has not, in fact, com- plained) that singularly little effort was made in any quarter to -make his task easier during the gathering of statesman in London for the economic discussions. But if the Conference is actually sitting there is some obliga- tion on the Governments to reach conclusions on the various questions in dispute. If it is not, the prospect of bringing them to the point will rest largely on Mr. Render- - son's personal endeavours. The adjournment, moreover, gives Germany an admirable opportunity, of which in her present temper she is likely to be ready to take full advan- tage, to protest that this is one more proof that the other nations have no serious intention of fulfilling their pledge to reduce armaments in consonance with her. It is only left to hope that when the Conference does reassemble in the autumn the situation will not have changed materially - for the -worse, and in particular that a less tractable Government will not be in office in France,
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