Show Turn to Pacifism Noted In Britain Press Is Leading By A. A A G G. G GARDINER England's Greatest Liberal Editor V Copyright 1927 Consolidated Press Association As tO LONDON Nov Noy 26 Who 26 Who was the villain of the piece at the theL Li L Geneva Gene naval conference continues to be the chief sub sub- subject subject subject of political controversy in En lan Viscount Cecils Cecil's elation cI Uon of the British governments government's share hare In the responsibility Ramsay R ay Macdonald the labor party leader attacked the government Thursday as the principal author of the fiasco In this he went ent beyond the position position tion taken by Viscount Cecil who while primarily concerned with the misdeeds of his own government considers the share of the United States In the result no less Sir Austen Chamberlain admitted the Lick lack of parliamentary exploration exploration exploration tion of the subject but defended that course on the ground that to initiate such a course would have conveyed the Impression of unwillingness unwillingness to accept President Coolidge's Cool- Cool CoolIdge's Idge's Invitation PUBLIC OPINION It Is generally agreed that on the facts Mr Chamberlain made an ef effective ef- ef e defense but on the broader question of the governments government's atti atti- attitude attitude attitude tude toward disarmament public opinion continues critical and dis dis- quieted This feeling was was somewhat modified by the formal announce announce- announcement announcement announcement ment of First Lord of the Admiralty Bridgeman in the house of com com- commons commons commons mons Wednesday that the govern govern- government government government ment had decided to abandon con con- construction construction of two cruisers this year ear This is taken to mean that the cabinet has been shaken by two things Viscount things Viscount Cecils Cecil's defection and Indictment and the remarkable change which has come over the popular press In regard to expendi expendi- expenditures expenditures tures on armaments Practically all the newspapers now are fiercely an- an U tl and arc backing Lloyd George In his denunciation of swollen armaments In Europe and the failure of the British govern govern- government government government ment to give ghe the continent the lead leadIn leadIn In the direction of disarmament and fulfillment of the undertaking of the Versailles treaty treat that disarmament of Germany should be a 0 prelude to the disarmament of Germanys Germany's ene ene- mies FURIOUS DISPUTE A furious dispute on Or the subject Is raging between Lloyd George and Worthington Evans war minister Lloyd Llod George estimates the poten poten- potential potential potential armies of Europe at 10 million men while Mr Evans retorts that the enrolled armies total only three and a half million of th t the governments government's policy pol pol- policy polky icy ky turns largely upon Its is failure to sign the optional clause in the league of nations' nations covenant and end to pro pro- propose propose propose pose a treaty outlawing war with America On the first point Mr Chamberlain Insists the covenant It Itself It- It Itself itself self provides ample guarantees and that no country has given ghen such practical assurance of faith In arbi arbi- arbitration arbitration arbitration as Great Britain In regard a a. treat treaty outlawing war with America the writer understands that It Is felt that in the present mood of America anything more from this side would be liable to be stood The public docs does not take seriously the fantastic doing of Big Bill Thompson of Chicago but there Is Isa Isa isa a feeling that widespread suspicion exists in the United States with re regard re- re regard regard gard to the supposed propagandist activities of this country In Amer Arner- America ica and there is no disposition to add fuel to that particular nonsense ATTENTION ON GENEVA GEoE All this feverish controversy on armaments directs lively Interest to the meeting next week at Geneva GenC of the league of nations preparatory commission on disarmament Special Special Special cial Importance attaches to the meet meet- meeting meeting ing for two reasons r first ns first because of the appearance of the Russian delegation with a proposal for full fulland fulland fulland and immediate disarmament and end second because of the notification by Germany that she the Intends to raise the whole problem of disarmament The Russian proposal Is obviously Impracticable but Germanys Germany's stand 1 is a direct challenge to France which hitherto has evaded the dis dis- disarmament dis- dis disarmament armament issue by taking shelter behind the question of security The opinion Is general here that the time has bas passed P for that excuse Either I Locarno carno under which Great Britain guarantees the security of France Is 13 a reality or It Is 13 not If U It H Is a a. reality then the question of security Is 13 settled and the time has come como for or this country to demand fulfillment of the Versailles pledge The peace ot of Europe cannot rest on the basis buls of disarmed central powers surrounded by nations armed to the the- teeth as France Poland and IS Italy are armed Popular feeling holds that England alone can give tho the lead In the matter by showing she has no friends except those who disarm and no enemies except those who refuse to disarm |