6 FEBRUARY 1926, Page 2

At the request of France, Italy, Japan, Uruguay and Czecho-slovakia

the Preparatory Commission on Dis- armament which ought to have met on February 15th has been postponed. Recently French newspapers have been arguing that Great Britain does not want disarma- ment and herself desires a postponement of the Com- mission. This is, of course, an entire misunderstanding. The only thing that can have given rise to the misunder- standing was a small modification of the agenda by the Council of the League. We hope, however, that the interval for reflection will be used to convince France that we mean business. Russia has not yet accepted the invitation to attend the Commission, and it is believed that the United States, though she has accepted the invitation, may want to discuss naval disarmament separately from land and air disarmament. America also evidently means business as President Coolidge is indignant at the postponement.