THE PEACE OF EUROPE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 225, 23 September 1925, Page 7

THE PEACE OF EUROPE.

BRITAIN AND ARBITRATION..i

i ARMS AND THE NATIONS. LORD CECIL'S EXPLANATION. (By Cable. Association.—Copyright.) (Received 13 noon.) GENEVA, September 22. Recent criticisms that Britain has adopted a negative attitude towards proposals arising at the League of Nations has evoked energetic denial from Lord Cecil, In a statement to journalists justifying the British attitude on various issues, especially compulsory arbitration, he pointed out that' Britain so far had signed over 200 arbitration treaties, governing special eases, but was unable to bind herself to compulsory arbitration in cases where she cannot foresee the consequences. The number of audiences which have been granted to international journalists mark a new development of the methods of the British Cabinet. Viscount Cecil in his speech began by answering the supposition, based on many Press comments, that Britain's attitude on several important matters had been entirely negative. It was, he said, very far from the truth and wholly wrong in deduction. Britain's desire was to see the most just and the most prudent solutions emerge from the League's debate. It is hinted that an agreement is imminent on the thorny question of a Disarmament Conference. Details have not been revealed, but it is understood that it is virtually a victory for the British viewpoint. Matters have so far been complicated by Hungary's amendment inviting the Council of the League to make preliminary arrangements for a conference, which should begin without delay once conditions as to security have been fulfilled. The whole question is due for discussion by the joint committee of the first and third commissions to-morrow, when it is expected that an acceptable recommendation will be made for submission to the plenary session. This will "be to the effect that a preliminary inquiry should be carried out through the medium of a co-ordination committee, so that when the Council is convinced that a. sufficient measure of security has been achieved it may take steps to convene the conference. Thus, instead of there being a direct mandate from the Assembly in favour of a conference it will be left entirely to the Council to decide when the time is auspicious. This is taken to mean that nothing impetuous will be undertaken. It is indicated that M. Loucheur has accepted suggestions to ensure a cautious approach to the complex problem of world economic ills. Some of the smaller commissions are still working on social and humanitarian topics.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.) DEPORTATION OF CHRISTIANS. BRITAIN "WANTS TO KNOW. (Received 1.30 p.m.) GKNTEVA, September 22. The British delegation requested the council of the League to meet at the earliest moment to consider correspondence in regard to the deportations of Christians from districts adjacent to the Brussels line and Mosul. It states in view of the Turkish denial of the reports of deportations, the council should immediately take steps to satisfy themselves whether the reports of the High Commissioner of Iraq are founded 'qn fact. The League should forthwith send a representative to the locality of the Brussels line to investigate and report immediately to the council. In the event of a similar occurrence in the future the British and Iraq Governments would welcome the presence of such a representative on their side of the Brussels line and afford him every assistance to fulfil his task. The Note saya the action of the Turkish Government in deporting Christians from villages between the Brussels line and the frontier is unquestionably a violation of the Treaty of Lausanne, and might modify the present state of the territories whose final status will depend on the decision to be reached in regard to the frontier.— (Reuter.)