News of the Week T HE British, disarmament plan has had
a good recep- tion. at Geneva. That is as it should be, for the new proposals are a considerable advance on any so far put forward by this country. Most important of all, Sir John Simon has succeeded in so handling the German equality of status issue as to secure general approval in Berlin. Analysed in detail, the plan, par- ticularly in regard to the air, in some respects falls short of reasonable expectation. The Hoover proposal in regard to the abolition of tanks is not accepted, for light tanks- up to a weight unspecified are to remain. The reduction of future mobile guns to 4-inches means a good deal; though most countries have large existing stocks of artillery of heavy calibre with some years of existence still in front of them. All that is definite about the capital ship proposals is the intention that the big ship shall not be abolished. The danger of a new-race in vessels of some 25,000 tons (the Dunquerque, which the French are just laying down, is of over 26,000), therefore, remains. • * *
