Geneva, Sept. 19.
Ina speech at the signing of the Optional Clause, Mr. Arthur Henderson, the British Foreign Secretary, said that by agreeing to refer her disputes with other nations to the Permanent Court of International Justice Great Britain was making an important contribution to world Peace. He stated that if the Tenth Assembly of the League of Nations went down in history as the "Optional Clause Assembly", was it that they wou'd Disarmament Assembly"?
Mr, Henderson added that disarmament was the most urgent question in foreign policy to-day, and it was vital that planes fo general disarmament should be sub-_ mitted to a world-wide conference organized by the League within a Later.
Ip connection with the signing of thie Optional Clause of the Hague Statute by the representatives. of Britain, New Zealand, South Africa and India, the signatures are appended for a period of ten years, subject to ratification by the Parliaments concerned and with a reservation excluding (1) disputes in which the parties agree to have recourse to some other method peaceful settlement; (2) disputes] between members of the Commonwealth; (3) disputes whic, by international law, fall exclusively within the jurisdiction of a natory; (4) reserving the right to! require suspension of proceedings 11 Court in respect of disputes submitted to the Council of the League.
San Francisco, Sept. 19, For the first time in a fortnight, fives which have been sweeping Oregon, Washington and parts of California have been brought under control. sia.
Tundreds of homes have been lest, with valuable contents. includ ing' personal belongings, while 150.- 900 acres of forest and other lands Australia and Canada have not] signed, the former on account of a Cabinet crisis in Australia and the latter because there has been 19! meeting of the Canadian Cabin hence no instructions have bees received.
The French spokesman to-day! announced France's renewed accept tance of the Clause for a period'of five years.
Czechoslovakia and Peru have] accepted the Clause for all cares which are not submitted to Council of the League.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.