OBLIGATIONS OF THE COVENANT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 299, 1 October 1935, Page 5

OBLIGATIONS OF THE COVENANT

BRITAIN STANDS FIRM. AN ASSURANCE TO FRANCE. LONDON, (September 20. The newspapers publish the text of the letter signed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, which was handed to the French Ambassador on September 20, in reply to the desire oi the French Government to learn to what extent it might he assured of immediate and effective application by Britain of all the sanctions provided by Article VT. of the Covenant, in the event of' violation, by the League ol Nations and resort to force in Europe on the part of some European country. t«sir Samuel Hoare referred to the speech delivered by him to the League Assembly on September 11, when he declared that his Majesty’s Government would be second to none in its intention to fulfil within the measure of its capacity the obligations the Cov-

enant laid upon it. He pointed out, and lie re-emphasised, that the League stood, and Britain stood with it, for the collective maintenance of the Covenant in its entirety and particularly far steady and collective resistance to all acts of unprovoked aggression. He thought it. would be generally agreed that no member of the League could lay down its policy in advance of any particular case likely to bring that policy into consideration ivith greater clarity and decision than in those words. Those ivords were spoken ivith the overwhelming support and approval of the people of Britain. His Majesty’s Government believed that the organism, ivhich in the considered view of the nation the one and only real hope of avoiding a repetition of the senseless disasters of the past and ensuring world peace by collective security in the future, would not lightly render itself impotent by lack of faith in, .and refusal of, effective action on behalf of its oivn ideals. But that faith and that action must, like security, he collective. . “Tho point is so vital,” said oir Samuel Hoare, “that if risks for peace are to be run they must be run by all. Bo long as the League preserves itself by its oyvii example this Government and this nation Yvill live up to. its full principle.”—British Official Wireless.

PRINCIPLE THE ONLY CARE.

PEOPLE BEHIND GOVERNMENT.

'LONDON, September 39

In his letter to the French Ambus* dor, Sir Samuel Hoare, referring to his speech in the League Assembly on September 11, said: “I added that the ideas embodied in the Covenant', and in particular the aspiration to establish a rule of luyV in international affairs, had appealed with growing force to the strain of idealism in the Blritish national character, and: had indeed become part of the national conscience I took the - opportunity to repudiate any suggestion that the attitude of the British Government had been one othei than of unwavering fidelity jto tho League and all that it stands foi, aiu* I draYV attention to the fact that the recent response of public opinion in this country shoYY r ed lioyv completely the nation supported the Government in full acceptance of the.obligations of League membership, Yvhich YY r as often proclaimed as the keynote of the Goyernment’s foreign policy. \ “I added that to suggest or insinuate that this policy was for some reason peculiar' to the Italo-Abyssihiau conflict would be a complete misunderstanding. Nothing could, in fuct, be further from the truth. I said, and I sincerely welcome this opportunity to repeat with full responsibility, that it is to the principles of the League, and not to any particular manifestation thereof, that the people, of this country had demonstrated their adherence. Any other view would at once be an underestimate off British good faith and an imputation upon British sincerity. - “It is at once evident that the procedure under Article XVI. of the Covenant is appropriate as regards a positive act of unprovoked aggression. It is not made applicable as regards a negative act of failure to fulfil the terms of a treaty. Further, in the case of a resort to force, it is clear that there may ho degrees of culpability and degrees of aggression, and consequently, in cases where Article VL. applies, the nature of the action appropriate to he taken under it may vary according to the tii eumstances of each particular case. “Your Government, as I am aware already recognises three distinctions, and similarly, in regard to treaty obligations, it. is pertinent to recall that, as I already said at Geneva, elasticity is part of security, and that every member of the League must recognise, as the Covenant itself recognises, that the world is not static. “ I stated aft Geneva, and it has since become increasingly evident, that the attitude of public opinion in the last feiv iveeks has clearly demonstrated that it is moved by no variable and unreliable sentiment, but is concerned Yvitli the general principle of international conduct to Yvhicli it will firmly hold so long as the League remains an effective, body.”