"MISLEADING."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 230, 28 September 1935, Page 10

"MISLEADING."

CABLED STATEMENT.

LEAGUE AND ARTICLE XV.

MERELY it, ROUTINE STEP,

"The cabled statement that 'for the first time in its history the League Council unanimously decided to invoke Article XV. of the League Covenant,' and tho reported remark of a delegate that this was 'one of the greatest decisions in history,' seem most misleading," said Mr. W. T. G. Airey, president of the Auckland branch of the League of Nations Union, this morning.

"Abyssinia has already invoked Article XV., as did China in 1932 and Bolivia in 1934. The Council has already been 'endeavouring to effect a settlement of tho dispute,' as this article in tho first place directs. The next step is clearly laid down: —'If the dispute is not thus settled, the Council . . . shall make and publish a report containing

. . . tho recommendations which are deemed just and proper in regard thereto.' It should scarcely occasion surprise or rejoicing that the Council has decidcd to take what is but a routine step.

Not a Unique Event. "Nor is thi3 in any real sense a unique event. The only reason that the council has on no previous occasion proceeded to the making of a report is that, in the other cases, both Bolivia and Clfina had the matter transferred to the Assembly under paragraph 9 of Articlo XV. In eacli case the Assembly made a unanimous report, and China and Bolivia, accepted the respective recommendations, so that Japan and Paraguay were debarred from making war against them. "When Paraguay continued tho war and failed to comply with tho recommendations of the report, the arms embargo which had previously been imposed on both countries was lifted in favour of Bolivia; shortly after, the two countries agreed to a peaceful settlement of their dispute. "When Japan continued military operations in Chinese territory, nothing was done by other League members beyond refusing to recognise Manchukuo as an independent State. Four Alternatives. "In the present dispute it remains to be seen (a) whether the council can make a unanimous report, hs the Assembly has done on two previous occasions; (b) whether Italy accepts that report, which would bo a real triumph for the League; (c) whether Italy, rejecting the report, makes war on Abyssinia, if the latter, as is likely, complies with the report; and (<l) whether, in that case, the other members of the League apply sanctions, as defined in Article XVI., against Italy."