BASIS OF NOTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 47, 25 February 1927, Page 7

BASIS OF NOTE.

FORMER AGREEMENT.

Justification For Alleged Mildness. LORD CURZON'S DEALINGS. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 11 a.m. I LONDON, February 24. Despite the outbursts in a section of the Press against the "milk and water"' character of Britain's Xote, official circles scout the suggestions that it "will be quickly followed bv more peremptory demands, ending in an inevitable breach of diplomatic relations. W ell-informed circles declare that the events following Lord Curzon's stronger protest in 1023 must be reverted to for a true interpretation of the present Xote. Lord Curzon's Note, which was much more strongly worded, was almost an ultimatum and produced a tense situation temporarily. When means were found to continue relations, however, it was agreed that henceforth, either Government, if it felt aggrieved with the other would inform it thereof quickly, and without waiting for the accumulation of complaints to lead to another virtual ultimatum. In other words, the present Xote should be regarded as the interim presentation of a list of our complaints sent in a friendly spirit, and in virtue of the 1923 agreement. It gives the Soviet a chance to modify its conduct before any stronger act is adopted by Britain. There is no illusion that it will result in the Soviet seriously amending its ways but the mildness of the new Note is held to be justified as exemplifying British patience. Meantime authoritative sources point out that the Soviet's anti-British propaganda has spent itself successively in Turkey, Persia, Mesopotamia, India and Foland, and will ultimately fail everywhere. At present it has caused the most awkward problem in China, but here also there is every reason to believe it will fail in the long run.