MUTUAL GUARANTEE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10169, 26 July 1924, Page 5

MUTUAL GUARANTEE.

SAFEGUARDING WORLD PEACE. t DEBATE IN THE LORDS. (Per Press Association—Copyright.)~ LONDON, July 24. Lord Grey of Falloden initiated an important debate in the House of Lords regarding the Government's rejection of the Pact for Mutual Assistance.

He insisted that Great Britain ought to give more reality to the League of Nations, and make it clear that she was prepared to use her strength to uphold the Covenant of the League in future disputes. " We are making no progress towards a sense of security,' 5 he said, "but are making an advance towards competition in armaments. It is impossible to hold out hope of preventing a growth in armaments unless a scheme is evolved which the Dominions could support." Lord Grey added that he would.like the Dominions to be consulted as to, whether in future disputes Great Britain should be prepared to use all her strength, not on the merits of any dispute, but on behalf of the Covenant of the League. A policy of isolation for Britain would be a policy of certain catastrophe. Lord Parmoor (Lord President of the Council) replied that the Government was fully alive, to the necessity for disarmament, which was the essence of the Government's policy, but all the Dominions except the Irish- Free State were opposed to the Treaty of Mutual Assistance. It was not possible for the Government to pledge itself to any measure to which the Dominions were opposed. It was impossible to carry out any policy of disarmament unless it had "the united loyalty of all the Dominions. Without a pre-arranged military plan a. scheme of mutual assistance would be a farce and a delusion.

Lord Cecil said if force were not contemplated against a nation which was determined to break the peace o* the world, there could be no faith in the League. He asked what Britain was going to do at Geneva. Lord Balfour said Mr Mac-Donald's letter proposing an assembly of all nations in connecti :n with disarmament was an illusory proposition, which would end in a wrangle, but he. also, was doubtful of the value of a Treaty of Mutual Assistance. Lord Grey's motion was withdrawn.