The main point of the situation as it is to-day is that you have got a committee working out in detail a general pact, which when it is formulated will be far more complete and satisfactory than the very general and vague Clause 10 of the Covenant.  We have reached the position when practical proposals are beginning to emerge.  What more is wanted?  How can we help on this work?  You will have gathered from what I said that it is my own conviction that with this problem of reduction of armaments is so closely linked up the problem of economic reconstruction and reparations that the whole ought to be taken together.  I believe one of the reasons why so little progress has been made is that the economic problems have been entrusted, with the blessing of our and other Governments, to perambulating conferences, while the disarmament problem has been left solely to the League of Nations.  I believe if you could get the whole of these problems considered by one authority—­and there is one obvious authority—­progress would be far more rapid.

There is another matter which concerns us as citizens—­the attitude of our own Government to this question.  I was delighted to see recently an announcement made by a Minister in the House of Commons that the Government was seriously in favour of a reduction of armaments on a great ratio.  I was delighted to read the other day a speech, to which reference has already been made, by the Prime Minister.  We have had a great many words on this question.  The time has come for action, and quite frankly the action of our Government in the past two years with regard to this question has been neutral, and not always one of benevolent neutrality.  Our official representatives at Geneva have been very careful to stress the difficulties, but up to the present I am unaware that our Government has ever placed its immense resources as regards information at the disposal of the one Englishman who has been striving with all his power and knowledge to get a definite solution.  I believe there is going to be a change; I hope so.  In any case, the best thing we can do is to see that it is changed, and that Lord Robert Cecil is not left to fight a lone battle.

THE APPEAL TO PUBLIC OPINION

There is something more.  There is something wanted from each of us.  Personally, I am convinced myself that this problem is soluble on the lines by which it is now being approached.  I speak to you as a professional who has given some study to the subject.  I am convinced that on the lines of a general pact as opposed to the particular pact, a general defensive agreement as opposed to separate alliances, followed by reduction on a great ratio, the practicability of which has been proved at Washington, a solution can be reached.  Given goodwill—­that is the point.  At the last Assembly of the League of Nations a report was presented by the Commission, of which Lord Robert Cecil was a member, and it wound