4 MAY 1929, Page 3

At Geneva It required considerable adroitness for the Preparatory Disarmament

Commission to pass over M. Litvinov's impracticable proposals without at the same time, giving Soviet Russia a handle against the League. The Russian delegates, however, have accepted the inevitable, and they must derive some comfort from the fact that the United States delegate has come out so strongly in favour of their demand for reduction and not simply limitation of armaments. Undoubtedly Soviet Russia and the League are coming closer together—witness the signature by the 'U.S.S.R. (the first so far) of the Convention for the Suppression of Counterfeit Currency, concluded after two weeks' conference on April 20th. Twenty- three States have signed, including all the European Great Powers. The technical difficulty of ratification by a State not a member of the League was soon overcome, as are all juridical niceties where there is good will and common sense. The Soviet Government have also accepted an invitation to take part in the World Postal Congress in London this month.

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