He said that he recognized that this reduction in the shipbuilding programme would affect employment in the dockyards. He announced, however, that, as the result of special re-arrangements which the Admiralty had suggested, much labour in the Royal Dockyards, which otherwise would have had to be discharged, would be absorbed. He added that the representatives of Labour in the dockyards would immediately be consulted on the matter, The Prime Minister stated that the Admiralty had rendered loyal help to the Government to achieve object of a minimum dislocation, and hardship in this connection, after expressing their "technical views on the minimum armaments they considered necessary.
Mr, Ramsay MacDonald added that all the Powers concerned recognized that a preliminary agreement betwee Great Britain and the United States was essential to." general agreement on naval building. Immediately the way was clear, the Powers represented at the Washington Conference in 1921- 22 would be invited to a preliminary conference with a view to reaching comprehensive agreement. The final agreement would be ratified at a place which, he hoped by common consent, would be chosen by the United States in recognition of the splendid part played by its President, It would then be reported to the Preparatory Commission on Disarmament of the League of Nations as a contribution to its work.
Chance of General Disarmament If these intentions were fulfilled, said the Prime Minister, the request made by the chairman' of the Preparatory Disarmament Commission at Genoa on March 15 last year that the Powers attempt to agree complished. among themselves, would be ac-
The Powers, he continued, would Preparatory Commission on armament, the difficult but essential problem of how to reduce other forms of armament in accordance with the pledge given by the Allies at Versailles, when imposing disarmament.on Germany, and also in pursuance of the Pact of Peac His Majesty's Government will direct its thoughts and energies to that purpose, in ce-operation with other nations, immediately this more immediate work of a naval agreement had been finished. The general disarmament conference would then be possible, remarked the Premier in conclusion, The United States Ambassador and other diplomats were present in the Distinguished Strangers Gallery while the Premier wae ing his statement,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.