INSURANCE AND DISARMAMENT
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sia,—The deadlock between the British and French Govern- ments on the subject of national security continues, not- withstanding the fact that we are on the eve of the Disarmament Conference, and that, unless some sort of compromise is effected, the failure of the Conference is almost certain.
There must be some way out of this difficulty. It is to be hoped that immediate steps will be taken to examine every possible method of improving the situation. In this connexion it appears to me that there may be great possibilities of useful- ness in having recourse to the principle of insurance for solving the problem. M. Cpt, in your issue of January 6th, writing on " France and Disarmament," says, " Give us to- morrow a system of mutual assistance that will dispel all thoughts of aggression and assure every State complete security, and France will be the first to assent to wholesale disarmament." In saying this no doubt M. Cot was thinking mainly of more commitments and guarantees by other Powers, especially by Great Britain, and no such suggestion is likely to be entertained. But it is worth noting that the character- istic feature of both the French claim and the insurance system is mutual assistance ; also, that if, in addition to a general reduction of armaments, the League of Nations established an insurance scheme covering the risk of war, all thoughts of aggression would be effectually dispelled by the might of its financial power, and greater security be achieved
for all nations.—I am, Sir, &c., S. MARRABLE. Berrydene," Parkstone, Dorset.
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