INTERNATIONAL: Pitiful Invention

Delegates to the Geneva Disarmament Conference were all on their way home last week for a breather before reassembling sometime between September and January, having completely baffled the world as to what they had really accomplished. Almost as baffled was tall, hawk-shouldered Viscount Cecil of Chelwood, veteran of a dozen conferences, who last week followed lese-majestic Herbert George Wells (TIME, Aug. 8) as guest lecturer at the Oxford Liberal Summer School. He mused that “if Europe and America agreed on a common world Disarmament policy Japan could not stand out alone against it.” But as the actual record of accomplishment, he said:

“I really don’t understand what was agreed with regard to air at the Disarmament Conference. I understand they agreed that there should be no bombing of civilians, but that does not eliminate aerial warfare. If bombing is to continue I do not think civilians have any right to claim a particular measure of immunity.”

Asked a Liberal summer scholar: “Sir, do you think civilian aircraft should be abolished since they can easily be converted into weapons in wartime?”

“No,” said Lord Cecil, “I don’t think that is practicable, although I am of the same opinion as Lord Trenchard that it is a great pity flying ever was invented.”