News of the Week
THOUGH diplomatic interchanges arc in progress between this country, France and Germany over the proposed Four-Power Disarmament Conference, no ad- vance towards a definite decision as to time and place can be reported. While Germany's objection to Geneva and France's insistence on it are both intelligible, it is intolerable that either country should push its views to a point that threatens the existence of the Conference. As things are the Four-Power talks have cut across other very promising conversations at Geneva, and everything. there is at a standstill. Lausanne now would be a- sensible compromise, and both France and Germany ought to accept that. Meanwhile, if public opinion has any effect on governments Mr: MacDOnald should feel very definitely impelled towards a stronger disarma- ment policy, for the declarations made in the last few days publicly and privately by different repre sentative bodies have been impressive. ' The mani- festo by five younger Oxford dons on Monday was refreshingly sincere and earnest ; the memorial pre- sented on Tuesday by 300 distinguished signatories in all walks of life testified to the universality of the demand for a lead by this country (the Prinie Minister himself in his speech at the National Labour lunch on Monday realized that we had confined ourselves to the role of peacemaker between France and Germany long enough) and the deputation from the Churches on Thursday gave further striking evidenCe of national anxiety and national hopes The opportunities for the effective expression of public opinion outside the columns of the Press are few, and it is well that Ministers should be approached directly from time to time.
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