News of the Week
MUCH the most important feature of the disarmament debate on Wednesday was the Foreign Secretary's btatement that the time was coming when the House of Commons would have to consider the question of security in -much greater detail. That, of course, might be taken td :mean simply that if there were no Disarma- ment Convention this country would have to arm in its own defence. But all the context goes to show that Sir John Simon was using the word security in its now recognized _international sense of mutual guarantees. If so, the" fact. that he should have so laid emphasis on that question is significant. As was pointed out in last week's Spectator, a reasonable. Disarmament Convention would in all probability be attainable if this country could come .to terms with Germany on the abolition of military aviation and with France on the question of security. The French requirements in that sphere have not been -clearly formulated—it is hard to, see what can be asked for _beyond Locarno—but Sir John Simon's words seem to suggest that when the French Note does come to hand any passages in it regarding security will receive Sober and sympathetic consideration. That at least keeps alive the glimmer, or rather more than a glimmer, of hope of which Mr. Eden spoke.
